The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has launched a $4,000 investigative journalism grant under its Budeshi initiative to help journalists report stories that drive transparency and good governance.
Lucy Abagi, PPDC’s executive director, announced the grant in Abuja on Monday at a media convening.
The event, tagged “Strengthening civic voices: The role of CSOs and media in driving transparency”, brought together journalists, development partners, and civic actors to explore how coordinated storytelling and evidence-based reporting can lead to deeper democratic engagement and institutional reforms.
Abagi said the grant is initiated to encourage journalists to go beyond surface-level reporting and uncover deep-rooted governance issues that may otherwise go unnoticed.
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“This is more than just a grant. It is a strategic step to create stories that not only expose but also inspire. We want to see narratives that highlight civic realities and fuel policy discussions beyond headlines,” she said.
“There are still voices that go unheard, communities left out of the narrative, and systems that resist scrutiny.”
She emphasised the vital role of information and collaboration in shaping an inclusive society.
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“Power without accountability becomes self-serving, and information without amplification fails to make change,” Abagi said.
“When CSOs and journalists work together, we move from anecdotal outrage to informed advocacy and from temporary attention to structural reform.”
Participants at the convening also discussed the importance of building trust between journalists and sources, simplifying complex governance data, protecting media independence, and ensuring that transparency becomes a sustained public demand.
PPDC’s work over the years has focused on empowering citizens with tools and data to demand better governance, supporting justice sector reforms, and promoting open contracting.
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Through platforms like Budeshi, the organisation has driven procurement transparency and built public interest in the accountability of public funds.
