By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Every year, Ghana loses billions of cedis through Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs). IFFs are monies that are illegally earned, transferred, or hidden across borders. These losses often come from tax evasion, corruption, illegal mining, smuggling, and shady business deals.
The impact of IFFs is huge. It diverts funds meant for the construction of schools, hospitals, roads and other essential services that are crucial for the improvement of the quality of life.
However, high-quality and impactful journalism can play a critical role in exposing these hidden financial crimes and contribute to holding the powerful people and institutions accountable.
With funding support from Oxfam in Ghana, MFWA is strengthening the social contract on Domestic Revenue Mobilisation (DRM) and fiscal justice through the media and collaboration with investigative financial journalists.
Following the approved activities under the project titled Tax for Development: Strengthening Civil Society and Media for Fiscal Justice, the MFWA is inviting applications for the 6th edition of the Next Generation Investigative Journalism (NGIJ) Fellowship.
This three-month, fully funded residential program will equip 20 selected journalists with hands-on training in investigative journalism, focusing on tax justice, domestic resource mobilisation, and IFFs.
Benefits
- Intensive mentorship and practical training with the MFWA’s Independent Journalism Project: Fact-Check Ghana and The Fourth Estate.
- Financial and editorial support to produce at least two major investigative and fact-check reports.
- Specialised training on progressive taxation, domestic resource mobilisation, and illicit financial flows.
- A Certificate of Honour upon successful completion.
- Monthly stipend
Eligibility
- The application is only for Ghanaian journalists
- Open to mid-career journalists with at least four years’ experience.
- Early-career journalists with a strong passion for investigative financial reporting can also apply.
- Applicants must commit to full participation in the residential program (May–July 2025).
- Women are strongly encouraged to apply. Journalists outside the Greater Accra Region are also strongly encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Send the following documents to applications@mfwa.org by April 30, 2025:
- Motivation letter (Max. 250 words) explaining why you want to join
- Two published news articles (print, TV, radio, or online)
- Letter of consent from your employer (for staff journalists)
- CV with two referees.
Ghana experiences significant financial losses annually due to Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs), which include illegal earnings and transfers deriving from tax evasion, corruption, illegal activities, and dubious business deals. These IFFs redirect funds away from essential public services like education, healthcare, and infrastructure, vital for improving citizens' quality of life. Journalism is pivotal in uncovering these financial malpractices and holding accountable those involved.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), backed by Oxfam in Ghana, is proactively addressing this issue by enhancing Domestic Revenue Mobilisation (DRM) and fiscal justice through investigative journalism. As part of this initiative, the MFWA is inviting applications for the Next Generation Investigative Journalism (NGIJ) Fellowship's 6th edition, a program designed to train 20 journalists on tax justice and IFFs. This three-month residential program offers mentorship, financial, and editorial support, specialized training in DRM and IFFs, and a Certificate of Honour, with a monthly stipend.
Eligibility is open to Ghanaian journalists with four years of experience, or to early-career journalists passionate about investigative financial reporting. Commitment to the full program from May-July 2025 is necessary, with women and those outside the Greater Accra Region especially encouraged to apply. Applicants must submit a motivation letter, published articles, employer consent (if applicable), and a CV with referees by April 30, 2025.
