The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) has brought civic accountability and development expertise into the judging process for its 20th edition, with Connected Development (CODE) founder Hamzat Lawal named among members of the awards’ jury.

Lawal, whose work spans climate change, open data, civic participation and public accountability, is part of a wider panel assembled to assess young Africans whose work is creating impact across their communities and industries.

The jury announcement comes as TFAA marks two decades of recognising young Africans across sectors including entrepreneurship, technology, creative industries, media, public service and social impact.

Why Lawal’s inclusion matters

Lawal’s appointment brings an accountability-focused perspective into a platform that has spent 20 years highlighting young Africans making contributions across different sectors.

Through CODE, he has been involved in citizen-led efforts to track public spending, strengthen community participation and improve access to information. CODE says its Follow The Money initiative has tracked more than $507m in public funds and reached more than 10 million people across 12 African countries.

That experience places questions around measurable impact, community engagement and public value alongside the broader achievements traditionally considered in recognising emerging African leaders.

TFAA marks 20 years of youth recognition

The 20th edition of TFAA is themed “Celebrating the Redefiners: Africa’s AI Generation”, with the organisers positioning the anniversary edition around a generation using technology, creativity and new ideas to reshape African society and industries.

TFAA says it recognises Africans aged between 18 and 35 who have recorded outstanding achievements in the year under consideration.

The awards platform has previously recognised young people working in areas ranging from technology and entrepreneurship to agriculture, education, acting and professional services.

Its official records show that the platform has documented more than 1,600 nominees and 276 winners across previous editions.

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A jury drawn from different sectors

Lawal is joined on the jury by professionals with experience across behavioural psychology, the creative economy, public policy, digital media, financial services, governance and leadership development.

Among those named are life coach and behavioural change psychologist Lanre Olusola; creative industry entrepreneur Obi Asika; and Olufemi Oguntamu, founder and chief executive of Penzaarville Africa.

The panel also includes Solape Akinpelu, co-founder of HerVest; actor and creative entrepreneur Lala Akindoju; food creator and entrepreneur Yemisi Sophie Odusanya; photographer and social entrepreneur Bayo Omoboriowo; and Ayisat Agbaje Okunade, Executive Secretary of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy.

TFAA has also appointed an Independent Audit Committee as part of its selection structure.

According to the organisers, nominations pass through several stages before reaching the audit committee and jury, a process intended to support fairness and integrity in the selection of winners.

Beyond awards and recognition

The emphasis on accountability comes at a time when technology, civic participation and public-interest data are becoming increasingly important to how young Africans engage with government and society.

CODE describes its work as being focused on citizen power, transparent governance and social justice, with initiatives covering public finance monitoring, civic education, elections and climate accountability.

For TFAA, the jury composition provides an opportunity to bring perspectives from outside the traditional entertainment and business sectors into the process of identifying young Africans whose work is having wider social impact.

The 20th edition is scheduled for November 2026 in Lagos. TFAA has also announced that nominations for the anniversary edition are open.

What to watch

The final list of nominees and eventual winners will provide a clearer picture of the kinds of innovation, civic action, entrepreneurship and creative work TFAA chooses to spotlight as it begins its third decade.

For an awards platform built around young African achievement, the inclusion of civic accountability expertise is another indication of how broadly “impact” is being defined across the continent.

A Yaba College of Technology student, Oladapo Taiwo Opeyemi, has emerged winner of the Bigi Music Competition held during the Soundcity OnTour activation at the Lagos institution.

Opeyemi won a ₦1 million cash prize after emerging top of a competition featuring young artistes from the campus.

The three-day entertainment programme, which began on September 15, combined music performances, dance competitions and other activities aimed at giving young people a platform to showcase their talents.

Opeyemi takes campus music crown

Opeyemi emerged ahead of Iheanacho Favour Emeka, who finished as first runner-up, and Anikene Victor Chidera, who came second runner-up.

The competition formed part of the YABATECH edition of Soundcity OnTour, with participating students using the stage to showcase different musical styles and performance abilities.

Beyond the cash prize, the competition provided a platform for emerging artistes to perform before a large student audience.

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Music, dance take over YABATECH

The Bigi Music Competition was one of several activities staged during the campus activation.

The Fearless Dance Challenge also attracted students who competed through dance performances, adding another layer of competition and entertainment to the event.

The programme later moved into a concert featuring Modola, Táríq, Syemca, Slimcase, Mr P and Kodee, alongside Duuwa and Rukmani.

Their performances drew students into the evening programme, with music and dance continuing after the competitions.

Brand says youth talent needs platforms

Ekuma Eze, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Rite Foods Limited, said the Bigi and Fearless brands were focused on creating opportunities for young Nigerians to express their creativity.

“Young people are not waiting for culture to happen; they are creating it every day. Through the Bigi and Fearless brands, we want to meet them where that creativity is most visible and give them platforms where they can express themselves, discover their capabilities and connect with opportunities beyond the immediate moment,” he said.

The comments place the activation within a wider conversation around opportunities for young creatives, particularly those developing their careers outside established entertainment structures.

For student artistes, campus competitions can provide an early opportunity to build performance experience, reach new audiences and gain exposure while still in school.

What’s next for Soundcity OnTour?

The YABATECH activation is part of the ongoing Soundcity OnTour campaign, which is expected to move to another Nigerian campus.

Organisers have not disclosed the next campus in the announcement, instead encouraging students and young people to follow Bigi and Fearless for updates.

For Opeyemi, the YABATECH event ended with a ₦1 million prize and a victory that could provide a further platform for his music career.

For other participating students, the competition offered an opportunity to perform, compete and gain visibility before a large campus audience.

Veteran Nigerian actor and filmmaker, Olu Jacobs has died at the age of 84, according to a family announcement shared on Wednesday, 16 September 2026.

The announcement identified him by his full name, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, MFR, and said he died on 16 September 2026. He was born on 11 July 1942.

The family described him as a husband, father, grandfather and uncle, and referred to him as “The Lion of Lufodo.”

The family also appealed to bloggers and social media influencers to respect its privacy during the mourning period.

A career spanning decades

Olu Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most recognisable veteran actors, with a career spanning theatre, television and film.

Born to parents from Egba Alake in Ogun State, he spent part of his childhood in Kano before travelling to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

He appeared in several British television productions during the 1970s before returning to Nigeria and becoming a prominent figure in the country’s film and television industry.

His international film credits included The Dogs of War, Pirates and Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend, while in Nigeria he became widely known for his work in Nollywood and television, including the NTA series The Third Eye.

National honour, lifetime achievement awards

Jacobs was recognised for his contribution to the Nigerian film industry throughout his career.

He received the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) national honour in 2011. He also received the Industry Merit Award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards in 2013 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2016.

He was also honoured with lifetime achievement recognition at the Africa International Film Festival and the iRepresent International Documentary Film Festival.

“The Lion of Lufodo.”

The family used the description in announcing the death of the veteran actor.

His partnership with Joke Silva

Jacobs was married to fellow veteran actress Joke Silva, with whom he established Lufodo, a theatre and film production company.

The couple were also involved in the management of Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos after the Lagos State Government handed its management to Lufodo in 2022.

Silva had previously spoken publicly about her husband’s declining health, while the family had repeatedly pushed back against false reports of his death.

In June 2024, the Actors Guild of Nigeria and members of Jacobs’ family rejected social-media reports that he had died.

Family asks for privacy

The family asked bloggers and social media influencers to respect its privacy at this time.

No details about the cause of death or funeral arrangements were included in the announcement.

Why Olu Jacobs mattered to Nigerian cinema

Jacobs’ career connected Nigeria’s theatre tradition with the country’s modern film and television industry. His work in British productions, Nigerian television and Nollywood made him a familiar figure to several generations of audiences.

His death marks the loss of one of the veteran actors whose careers helped shape Nigeria’s contemporary screen industry.