Madina Dahiru Maishanu Wins The Future Awards Africa 2025 Prize for Journalism

When the Future Awards Africa 2025 winners were announced, one name stood out—Madina Dahiru Maishanu.  The BBC Hausa journalist took home the coveted Prize for Journalism. 

But who exactly is Madina Maishanu? Why is her win such a big deal? And how did she rise to become one of the most inspiring new voices in Nigerian journalism? Let’s get into it.

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Madina Dahiru Maishanu is a Nigerian journalist, broadcaster, and storyteller who works with the BBC Hausa Service. She’s the host of Mahangar Zamani, a show that spotlights the perspectives, struggles, and innovations of young Nigerians. 

In an interview with Daily Trust, she reflected on her show’s growth: “In a few months, I will have hosted 100 episodes. … I was able to make mistakes, learn from them, perfect my craft and deliver powerful episodes that have changed lives and made an impact on every level.”

Through her work, Madina gives a platform to voices that often go unheard, from students tackling the hunger crisis to young women breaking barriers in northern Nigeria. 

In her BBC documentary on the Hunger Crisis in Katsina, Madina showed how soaring food prices and insecurity are pushing entire families into hunger.

Her live interview on the hunger crisis in northern Nigeria points to the fact that  “one of the driving factors is the food inflation in the country… So this is making life difficult for the common people in the country.” 

This demonstrates her emphatic and passionate stance on the struggles of the common man, making her one of the most exciting young voices in African journalism.

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Madina’s story is one of consistency and passion. She began her career in local media, progressing through various roles that taught her the fundamentals of news production and field reporting.

She later worked with Voice of America (VOA) Hausa from 2019 to 2021 before joining the BBC, where her talent and authenticity began attracting attention. But beyond the newsroom, Madina built a digital presence that resonates with a generation raised online. 

She’s active on Instagram and X (Twitter), where she shares behind-the-scenes moments, social insights, and personal reflections on journalism and youth empowerment.

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Madina combines traditional and new-age journalism. She’s equally comfortable conducting in-depth interviews as she is creating short digital clips that explain complex issues in a way everyone can understand.

She’s publicly known to be intelligent, brilliant, and full of talent, confidence, and grace. Her show, Mahangar Zamani (“View of the Times”), encourages young people to speak up, ask questions, and take action.  She once said that her goal is to “inspire youth to venture into journalism,” and her audience proves she’s doing precisely that.

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Winning the Future Awards Africa 2025 Prize for Journalism is no mean feat. The award celebrates young Africans driving change through creativity, innovation, and impact, and Madina fits that description perfectly.

This year, she was shortlisted alongside a strong field of rising voices: Blessings Mosugu of News Central Television, Muhammad Ibrahim of Halal Reporters, Yousra Elbagir, and Emmanuel Onwuka. Being chosen from such a lineup reflects how high the bar was and makes her win all the more meaningful.

Her victory underscores the increasing significance of youth-focused journalism and the impact of stories that reflect everyday realities. 

It’s also a recognition of her consistency and the years she has spent reporting, mentoring, and creating space for others to share their truths.

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Aside from her Future Awards win, Madina has received recognition from the BBC and other international organisations for her work in storytelling and advocacy.  She’s also part of a rising wave of northern Nigerian women who are reshaping how the media portrays their communities.

But her biggest achievement is the ripple effect. She mentioned in an interview that she feels happy that her programme inspires youth to venture into journalism. That’s influence you can’t buy; it’s earned through authenticity and effort.

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Her work is a reminder that journalism isn’t just about breaking news but about amplifying voices and issues that deserve to be heard. She represents a new generation of African journalists who are redefining what storytelling looks like: inclusive, digital, and people-driven.

If you’re a young Nigerian considering a career in media or content creation, Madina Dahiru Maishanu’s story is your catalyst.  Her journey demonstrates that you don’t need to be loud to make an impact; you just need to be consistent, curious, and willing to share authentic stories.