Reporting on Illicit Finance in Africa 2025 – Alumni Scheme

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis; please apply as soon as possible. 

What’s it about?

Thomson Reuters Foundation is looking for journalists based anywhere in Africa who are motivated to understand how their country could be losing money via illicit means. 

This training is aimed at upskilling journalists who have previously participated and published stories under Wealth Of Nation Programme.

Who should attend?

•  Journalists with at least two years of professional experience
• It is an advantage if you are familiar with investigative journalism, reporting on finances and/or dealing with numbers more generally, but if you have a strong motivation to learn about and understand these issues then we will consider your application. Early career journalists are invited to apply.
• You must be able to spend significant time working on illicit finance stories.
• Both freelancers and staff journalists may apply. Journalists working for a news organisation will need consent from their editor to take part. Freelancers should provide evidence that one or more media organisations will be willing to take their work.
• Journalists working in any medium or multiple media are welcome to apply (print, online, radio or television).
• Journalists should be based in Africa and working for one or more African media organisations.
• Journalists applying must have fluent English.
• This mentorship is open to journalists who have benefitted from the Wealth of Nations training programme before and have published a story

Course Logistics

If you should be selected for the mentoring scheme, the maximum story grant we can provide is USD 1000. Please note that grants awarded vary depending on the anticipated resources required to complete the story. Any proposed costs without a detailed explanation will not be considered.

• Two work samples. TV/Radio journalists can send in their scripts and a summary. –
• If relevant work samples are in local language, please provide an English translation (if work sample is online, please share link so that we the web page can be translated).
• A letter from your editor consenting to your participation and confirming that they will publish any story produced through the programme

Please have these ready before you begin the form. 

Please note that acceptance on the programme does not mean that your story proposal has been approved. If you are accepted, the story proposal will be reviewed by our editorial team before approval.

If you have any difficulties applying, please email [email protected] with the subject title ‘Reporting on illicit finance in Africa 2025- Alumni Scheme ’ – we cannot guarantee a swift response if this subject line is not quoted.