Pluboard gets climate award

Pluboard has won its first award, receiving the Climate Media Spotlight award in Abuja on Tuesday.

The recognition, part of the African Climate Caravan, was organized by the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) and supported by Oxfam.

The pre-COP29 event, held to raise awareness and engagement ahead of the upcoming climate conference in Baku, featured both the Arts for Climate and Climate Media Spotlight Awards, aimed at amplifying African voices on climate issues.

Pluboard was recognized for its report, With tomato shortage and deadly floods, climate change alerts Nigeria, which highlighted how recent events reflect the urgent climate crisis in Nigeria. The country has faced increasingly severe floods, droughts, and other environmental threats, impacting lives, livelihoods, and food security.

With shifting weather patterns, Nigeria’s agricultural sector—which employs millions —is under immense strain. This year, crop failures in the northern region led to a tomato shortage, pushing prices up by over 550%. A basket of tomatoes rose from N20,000 to N150,000, worsening the nation’s cost-of-living crisis as food inflation reached a 28-year high of 40.5% in August.

The organizers praised Pluboard’s work, stating, “Congratulations on your well-deserved recognition as a recipient of our Climate Media Spotlight Award in the Print category! Your exceptional dedication to raising awareness about critical climate issues and advocating for solutions has made a significant impact, and we are glad to honour your efforts with this award.”

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Launched in February 2023, Pluboard operates with a small, dedicated team committed to delivering in-depth journalism on topics across the economy, business, politics, environment, security, and technology. Despite its young age, the outlet has already established itself as a significant voice in climate reporting and accountability journalism in Nigeria.

Pluboard’s editor, Ini Ekott, expressed gratitude for the award, emphasizing the organization’s dedication to covering stories that truly matter to people in Nigeria and beyond.

“This award is a testament to the hard work of our team and our mission to spotlight crucial issues, including the climate crisis affecting African communities. We are driven to tell the stories that matter and amplify the need for urgent action on climate issues,” Mr Ekott said.