By Someleze Ndede
Last year’s newcomer of the year, Uganda’s Deogratious Wamala, won the overall Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year 2025 award at a gala dinner in Johannesburg, South Africa, as the event marked its 51st anniversary this July.
The Daily Monitor reporter also won the Financial Markets and the Africa Growth Story categories.
I’m naturally curious, and what drives my reporting is looking for people’s pain points and thinking about how those stories can influence policy at both the macro and micro level
The recognition follows a strong showing in this year’s competition, which attracted a competitive field of 183 submissions. The entries included 100 from South Africa and 83 from other African countries, including Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda.
The Sanlam Group Financial Journalism Awards recognise outstanding financial journalism across print, online, radio, and television by journalists based in Africa and working for African media organisations.
Wamala was recognised by the independent panel of judges for his “insightful and compelling journalism” examining the African Continental Free Trade Area and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 for African growth within the new global economic order.
For Wamala, the achievement builds on his previous success at the 2024 awards, where he received the Best Newcomer Award. Reflecting on his journey, he said, “Winning Best Newcomer last year was encouraging, but I was also the youngest in our newsroom, especially on the business desk, so there was always a question in the back of my mind of whether I could keep up. This award answers that.”
What fuels his work? “I’m naturally curious, and what drives my reporting is looking for people’s pain points and thinking about how those stories can influence policy at both the macro and micro level. Seeing that approach recognised this year means more to me than the newcomer title did, because it feels earned,” he added.
This year’s Best Newcomer award went to Ruby Delahunt with Currency News, South Africa, who is a first-time entrant in the awards.
“These awards recognise the critical role that credible, insightful financial reporting plays in advancing economic understanding and enriching public discourse. We are inspired by the quality of entries received this year and look forward to seeing African financial journalism continue to inform, challenge, and elevate conversations about the continent’s future,” said Shadi Chauke, Sanlam Group Executive: Corporate Affairs and Sustainability.
The judging panel, chaired by media academic Nixon Kariithi, included Angela Agoawike, a media practitioner from Nigeria; Emily May Brown, a media studies lecturer from Namibia; Freddie Rayborn Bulley, a financial journalism trainer from Ghana; Ylva Rodny Gumede, a media studies and
international relations scholar from South Africa; Tom Indimuli, a communications consultant; Mr Ulrich Joubert, an independent economist from South Africa; Ms Lizeka Mda, a former news editor and media trainer based in South Africa; and Mr Musa Zondi, a communications consultant and environmental writer.
The full list of winners can be found here:
