By Aderinola Omotosho
Madina Dahiru Maishanu isn’t your average journalist. She has just won the Future Awards Africa 2025 Prize for Journalism, and honestly, her story is full of energy, purpose, and impact.
Madina Maishanu works with the BBC Hausa Service and hosts Mahangar Zamani, a show where she gives a voice to young Nigerians and tackles real issues. She talks about student struggles, food crises, and everyday challenges people face in northern Nigeria, all with a focus on the human side of things. Before joining the BBC, she worked at Voice of America (VOA) Hausa, and even then, it was clear she wasn’t just reporting the news — she was telling stories that mattered, highlighting voices that often go unheard.
What makes Madina’s work stand out is how she blends traditional journalism with modern storytelling. On her show, she dives deep into tough topics and makes them relatable. One of her standout projects focused on the hunger crisis in Katsina, showing how rising food prices and insecurity are pushing entire families into hunger. She doesn’t just throw numbers at you — she shows the people behind the crisis, the parents, the children, the students struggling to make it through each day. That’s the kind of journalism that stays with you.
Madina is also very active online, sharing behind-the-scenes moments, reflections on her work, and her vision for youth-led journalism. She’s building a space where young Nigerians feel seen and heard, and where their experiences matter. Winning the Future Awards Africa Prize is a big deal, not just for her but for everyone watching. It celebrates young Africans who are driving change through creativity, hard work, and impact. Madina beat other rising journalists to take the prize, proving that her work isn’t just important, it’s influential.
Her win also signals something bigger. It’s a reminder that young Nigerians are shaping the media landscape in real ways. It shows that stories from communities that are often overlooked can make it to a bigger stage, that journalism doesn’t have to be distant or cold, and that young people can tell their own stories in ways that resonate locally and globally. For aspiring journalists, her journey is inspiring. She started small, took risks, learned as she went, and now she’s making an impact on a scale that matters.
Madina Dahiru Maishanu is exactly the kind of journalist the world needs right now: brave, curious, and deeply connected to her community. Her Future Awards win isn’t just her win — it’s a win for every young Nigerian storyteller who wants their voice to matter. And for the rest of us, it’s a reminder of the power of storytelling to shine a light on the lives, struggles, and triumphs of everyday people.
