The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has launched Budeshi, a $4,000 grant for investigative journalism aimed at equipping journalists who intend to uncover interesting stories that have yet to be unearthed.
The grant, which is open to all practicing journalists in functional media houses, will aide the beneficiaries in carrying out extensive research and investigations of topical issues that affect society, with a focus on accountability, transparency, and good governance.
The grant application will commence in two weeks, and all the requirements will be added to the Budeshi website.
While speaking at a media convening in Abuja yesterday, the chief executive of PPDC, Lucy Abagi, who announced the grant, said “This small but strategic fund is designed to support journalists and media outfits who are willing to go beyond the surface, digging into governance challenges, uncovering accountability gaps, and amplifying stories that might otherwise remain hidden. We hope this grant will create partnerships between reporters and CSOs, enabling evidence-based investigations that elevate civic discourse and drive reform.”
Speaking further, he said, “This convening is an opportunity to interrogate the status quo: to ask how we can deepen trust between journalist and sources; how we can make complex governance data accessible and compelling; how we can protect the independence of journalism while enhancing its ability to partner with civic actors without losing critical distance; and how we can ensure that transparency is not a one-off headline, but a persistent public expectation. We are also here to celebrate what’s working. PPDC’s engagements over the years, in procurement transparency, justice sector reform, and civic participation have shown that when citizens see their stories reflected in the media and when those stories are backed by credible evidence, change follows.”
Speaking on the activities of PPDC, the PPDC CEO said, “At PPDC, our work is rooted in a fundamental belief: that power without accountability becomes self-serving, and information without amplification fails to make change. For years, we have pursued a vision of governance that listens, responds, and delivers. We do this by empowering citizens with data, tools, and avenues to demand transparency; by supporting justice reforms that reduce arbitrary detention and improve access to legal aid; and by pushing for open contracting and procurement accountability through initiatives like Budeshi. None of this progress happens in isolation. That is why today’s gathering is so critical.”
Also speaking at the event, communications manager, PPDC, Nnenna Eze said, “Today isn’t just about conversation, it’s about building partnerships that turn information into influence, and stories into sustained public pressure for transparency and accountability. We brought you together because each of you, whether you are a journalist, a storyteller, or a communications specialist in civil society, holds a piece of a larger civic ecosystem. Individually you inform, investigate, translate, and mobilize. Together, you shape what citizens believe, what policymakers respond to, and what injustices get corrected. Too often, evidence stays in reports and outrage fades after a headline. What we want to do today is close that gap. We want to explore how to make collaborations between media and CSOs less transactional and more strategic; how to move from one-off visibility to narrative pipelines that keep civic issues alive in the public consciousness; and how to lift up stories that are rooted in data but carried by human voices.”
Speaking on the grant, she said, “The launch of a $4,000 investigative journalism grant is meant to seed rigorous reporting—work that goes beneath surface claims, follows accountability trails, and brings to light governance challenges that matter to everyday people. We don’t just want stories told; we want stories that provoke questions, spark dialogue, and push for follow-through.”
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