By Faith Ajewole
Fisayo Soyombo, the founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, has been named the ‘Active Citizen of the Year’ at the 2026 BudgIT Active Citizen Awards, held on Friday at the Civic Centre in Lagos.
The annual event, organised by civic tech organisation BudgIT, celebrates individuals and organisations driving impactful social change, transparency, and accountability across Nigeria.
Soyombo, who was a past President of the Union of Campus Journalists University of Ibadan, was honoured for his relentless undercover reporting aimed at advancing the public good.
Presenting the award, Seun Onigbinde, Global Director and Co-founder of BudgIT, praised Soyombo’s unwavering dedication despite significant personal risk. Onigbinde highlighted Soyombo’s courageous exposés, including investigations into systemic extortion within Nigerian prisons and cross-border smuggling networks, as proof that citizens can actively fight for a better society.
In his acceptance speech, Soyombo dedicated the recognition to Nigerians committed to positive change.
“I stepped out publicly in the land of ‘normal humans’ for the first time in three months, and it was to receive BudgIT’s Active Citizen of the Year award,” Soyombo said.
“I thank BudgIT for the honour, and I dedicate the award to everyone who hasn’t given up on Nigeria, everyone doing their honest best in their little corner to keep this country from slipping into an irreparable abyss,” Soyombo emphasised his vision for a nation where citizens can thrive without needing to flee abroad, noting that no Nigerian is truly immune to the country’s systemic challenges.
The 2026 ceremony recognised leaders across several categories, including Health Activism, Disability Rights Advocacy, Institutional Transparency, and Governance Reform. Among the night’s other notable honorees were Oluyemi Orija, founder of the Headfort Foundation for Justice, who received the Award for Community Service, and Anthony Adejuwon, founder of Urban Alert, who took home the Award for Climate Change Activism.
Credit: The Cable
