Zambian journalist becomes youngest BBC News Komla Dumor Award winner

Zambian television and radio presenter Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya has won the 2022 BBC News Komla Dumor Award.

At 25-years-old, Buyoya is the youngest recipient of the award; he is also the first winner from Southern Africa.

Buyoya is currently a TV host and reporter with Diamond Television in Zambia, where he started in 2017.

Buyoya is the seventh winner of the award. Previous winners are
Victoria Rubadiri, Solomon Serwanjja, Waihiga Mwaura, Amina Yuguda, Didi Akinyelure, and Nancy Kacungira.

The runner-up for this year’s prize is Ivory Coast’s Lindsay Aida Guei, who presents her own talk show on Canal+Elles, an Africa-focused TV channel.

Buyoya will spend three months working with BBC News teams in London across television, radio and online. He will have the opportunity to sharpen his journalism skills through training, workshops, and mentorship with leading
BBC journalists.

As part of the placement, he will travel to a country in Africa to report on a story that will be broadcast to the BBC’s global audiences.    

The award was created to honour Komla Dumor, a presenter for BBC World News, who died suddenly aged 41 in 2014.

Buyoya says: "Finding out I’d won the BBC News Komla Dumor Award is one of the best things to have happened in my life. I have a huge admiration for Komla’s prodigious work.

"I’ve always wanted to be a journalist and I’d watch back Komla’s news reports, inspired by his powerful storytelling and his dedication to covering Africa authentically.

"I can’t believe I’ll be given the opportunity to report on a multifaceted story from Africa and then share it with the BBC’s global audiences. I’m truly grateful to be part of Komla’s legacy."

The judges praised Buyoya for his journalism, his charisma, and his passion for sharing stories about the continent through digital platforms.

Juliet Njeri, Head of BBC Africa says: “We’re looking forward to welcoming Dingindaba to BBC News. We’re excited by his journalistic talent, and seeing him flourish during his BBC placement.

"Dingindaba’s dedication to ensuring important news stories from Africa are told in a compelling and engaging way, makes him ideal to help to continue Komla’s legacy – sharing nuanced and comprehensive stories about the continent.”