Annie Zulu has been named a 2026 winner of the ICFJ Michael Elliott Award for Excellence in African Storytelling, alongside Stephanie Wangari of Kenya. The award recognises reporting that captures both the promise and the challenges facing African communities today.
Annie was also the 2024 distinguished recipient of the MakanDay Eminent Prize for Investigative Journalism. An accomplished journalist with over eight years of experience, she has built a strong reputation in investigative reporting, focusing on underreported issues including women’s and children’s rights, human rights, climate change, and environmental protection. She is currently works the Free Press Initiative (FPI).
Her award-winning investigation, “Still Recruiting: Known Trafficker Lures Zambian Women to Abuse in Pakistan,” exposed a cross-border human trafficking network, revealing how Zambian women seeking better opportunities abroad are often trafficked or forced into servitude.
Co-winner Stephanie Wangari was recognised for her article in Rest of World, “Malawi’s New Farmhand: AI That Speaks the Local Language,” which highlights how farmers in Malawi are using AI tools in local languages to improve agricultural outcomes.
The Michael Elliott Award aims to advance the careers of emerging journalists in Africa who are strengthening people’s voices and improving their well-being. It is presented by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) in partnership with the ONE Campaign and the Elliott family.
In addition to a cash prize, both winners will take part in a specialised professional development programme at the London headquarters of The Economist, a long-time partner of the award.
The award was established in honour of Michael Elliott, a former ICFJ board director and distinguished editor at The Economist, Newsweek, and Time, who later served as CEO of the ONE Campaign.
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