The next generation of Ghanaian journalists reporting on mining, oil, gas, critical minerals, and environmental governance is set to receive a major boost, following the opening of applications for the second cohort of the Africa Extractives Media Fellowship (AEMF).
The Fellowship, which is a brainchild of NewsWire Africa, is aimed at strengthening journalism in the extractives industry. This is a sector that sits at the heart of Ghana’s economy but remains one of the most complex and underreported beats in African media.
With the first cohort almost ending their fellowship, applications have officially opened for another cohort of journalists. The applications opened on Monday, May 25, 2026, and will close on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 11:59 PM GMT.
The six-month programme will train 50 Ghanaian journalists through intensive full-day sessions held twice monthly, combining technical instruction, mentorship, field exposure, expert-led discussions, and practical story development.
These training programmes are taking place at a time when Ghana is grappling with difficult national conversations around illegal mining, environmental degradation, management of petroleum revenues, licensing & renewal issues, critical minerals, local content, community displacement, and resource governance.
The Fellowship seeks to bridge a longstanding knowledge gap within the media landscape. For years, many newsrooms across Africa have struggled to consistently produce deep, data-driven, and technically sound reporting on extractive industries due to the highly specialised nature of the sector.
Stories around mining contracts, petroleum agreements, fiscal regimes, royalties, environmental regulations, and resource accountability often require journalists to interpret technical documents, understand policy frameworks, and connect economic decisions to their real-life impact on communities.
This is the gap the AEMF programme seeks to bridge. Speaking on the opening of applications, Project Lead for the Fellowship, Kwakye Afreh-Nuamah, described the initiative as a critical intervention aimed at strengthening public-interest journalism in one of Africa’s most economically important sectors.
“The extractives sector shapes the economic future of this country and this continent, yet it remains one of the most technically demanding and underserved beats in African journalism. The AEMF exists to change that,” he remarked.
He added, “We are looking for journalists who are curious, committed, and ready to go deeper on the stories that matter. If that is you, we want to hear from you.”
The programme is expected to expose participants to the practical realities of extractive operations and governance systems, helping journalists move beyond surface-level reporting toward more investigative, analytical, and solutions-driven storytelling.
Women journalists have been especially encouraged to apply as organisers seek to promote greater diversity and representation within extractives reporting. Applications are open exclusively to Ghanaian journalists across all media platforms and career stages through the official AEMF application portal.
The application process includes professional background submissions, samples of published work, a project proposal, and a cognitive assessment focused on Ghana’s extractive industries.
The inaugural Ghana cohort, launched in October 2025, brought together journalists from television, radio, print, and digital media platforms across the country. The programme is supported by several institutions, including the Australian High Commission in Ghana, the Ghana Chamber of Mines, the Public Interest and Accountability Committee, the National Petroleum Authority, Digital Earth Africa, the University of Ghana Business School, and the University of Mines and Technology.
Applications must be submitted through the official fellowship portal at https://aemf.newswireafrica.org.
