Frontier Africa Reports

APO Group Awards still impacting the lives of African journalists after more than a decade

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 23, 2021/APO Group/ --Since 2007, 16 African journalists have won either an APO Group Media Award or an all-expenses paid international event invitation. Today, APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, is celebrating African journalism with the release of a video featuring some of the APO Group prize-winners over the last 14 years.

In the video, the winners reminisce and discuss the impact the awards have had on their lives.

The full list of APO Group Awards and event invitation winners:

Pius Sawa (Kenya)
Sumitra Nydoo (South Africa)
Kristia van Heerden (South Africa)
Catherine Nambi (Uganda)
Debra Matabvu (Zimbabwe)
Frank Eleanya (Nigeria)
Julius Uma (Uganda - South Sudan)
Kofi Adu Domfeh (Ghana)
Lilian Mutegi (Kenya)
Monica Nkodo (Cameroon)
Nila Yasmin (Uganda)
Oluseyi Awojulugbe (Nigeria)
John Churu (Botswana)
Aimable Twahirwa (Rwanda)
Issac Khisa (Uganda)
Agreey Mutambo (Kenya)

Watch some of their individual stories here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTH23_eZZMTYSA5SUuf4YQrHRoEThix-8

APO Group’s Media Awards and event invitations are about recognizing the achievements of African journalists, and creating opportunities for them to develop their careers or travel to new places.  

Founded by former African journalist and deputy president of the Pan-African Press Association in France (APPA), Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com), APO Group has a rich history of working alongside African media.

In the video, the winners reminisce and discuss the impact the awards have had on their lives
 

“APO stands for the African Press Organization, and when I founded the company it was primarily to provide relevant content to African journalists. As we have grown, the relationships we have established with these journalists have helped our African and multinational clients thrive across the continent and connect with African audiences. Funding awards and creating unique professional opportunities is our way of giving something back to the African media community that has been so vital to our success,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard.

International event invitation awards are selected at random from entries all over Africa - and, as such, they are an inclusive way of providing new opportunities to any journalist from the continent, with winners getting to attend prestigious industry events such as the Web Summit, the African Development Bank Annual Meeting, the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM), the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF), the EurAfrican Forum, and more.

Other awards, such as the APO Group African Media Award, and the APO Group African Women in Media Award, are voted for by jury panels, with winners chosen for excellence in their journalistic field. These awards offer some unique prizes, with the winner of the APO Group African Media Award receiving:

  • $500 a month for one year
  • a laptop
  • one intercontinental flight ticket to any destination of his or her choice
  • one year’s access to over 600 airport VIP lounges worldwide

The second and third place winners receive $300 and $200 a month respectively for a period of one year.

The winner of the APO Group African Women in Media Award wins a $2,500 cash prize, an all-expenses paid trip to a prestigious International Women’s Forum, and online courses from one of the most respected international universities.

Often though, the biggest prize is the impact on a winner’s life, with many using the award as a springboard to career progression.

“The APO Group Awards programme offers all African journalists a chance to engage with new people, travel to new places and grow their careers. We are proud to have had such an impact on these journalists’ lives, and it is wonderful to hear how they have progressed since winning an APO Group Award,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard.