A journalist with Nigeria’s foremost investigative newspaper, PREMIUM TIMES, has been selected as one of six reporters globally for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP17 Media Reporting Fellowship.
Abdulkareem Mojeed, a member of the newspaper’s Business and Economy Desk, is the only Nigerian journalist selected for the fellowship, which will support media coverage of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UNCCD in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
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The other selected journalists are Eric Kasina of Business Daily Africa, Kenya; Shagun Kapil of Down To Earth, India; Ángeles Lucas of El País, Spain; Rafael Cardoso of Agência Brasil, Brazil; and Gonzalo Ortuño of Mongabay Latam, Mexico.
In an email informing Mojeed of his selection, the UNCCD said the fellowship attracted a large number of applications from journalists and media organisations across different regions and languages.
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“Congratulations. We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for the UNCCD COP17 Media Reporting Fellowship,” the UNCCD said.
The UNCCD said Mr Mojeed’s application “stood out for the quality of your reporting track record, the strength of your proposed coverage, and your demonstrated commitment to reporting on the interconnected challenges of land, drought and their impact on communities around the world.”
COP17 in Mongolia
The UNCCD COP17 Media Reporting Fellowship is a fully funded programme for journalists to cover the UNCCD’s 17th Conference of the Parties in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
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According to the United Nations, COP17 is expected to bring together delegates from the UNCCD’s 197 Parties, alongside government, business and civil society leaders, scientists, young people, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists and smallholder farmers.
Participants will deliberate on solutions to the interconnected challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought, with a focus on how land restoration can help reduce instability, prevent displacement and strengthen human and national security in vulnerable regions.
The UNCCD said COP17 presents a pivotal opportunity for countries and partners to strengthen implementation and mobilise greater investment in drought resilience and sustainable land management.
During the two-week conference, participants are expected to engage in ministerial dialogues, as well as multistakeholder forums and thematic discussions on science-policy integration, innovation and solutions, tools and technologies, and financing.
Beyond the formal negotiations, COP17 is expected to catalyse collective action on rangelands, resilience and water, as well as food systems and soil health.
Reacting to his selection, Mojeed described the fellowship as an opportunity to draw greater attention to the challenges confronting rangelands and grazing routes in Nigeria and across Africa.
“I am truly humbled to have been chosen for this esteemed fellowship. It stands as a testament to the exceptional and impactful journalism we uphold at PREMIUM TIMES.
“I view my selection as a rare opportunity to highlight important stories that will inform the public about how land degradation, drought and desertification are affecting lives and livelihoods of Nigerians, Africans , and beyond, as well as their broader significance when properly addressed.
“I deeply appreciate this recognition and see it as a collective achievement for the entire PT family,” he said.
About Mojeed
Mojeed is a multiple award-winning Business and Environment investigative Journalist. He is a graduate of Botany and Ecological Studies from the University of Uyo, and has brought his science background to bear in Journalism.
He has extensively reported on biodiversity conservation, climate change, agriculture, food security, oil and gas, energy, and power. He has covered major regional and global environmental events, including the African Climate Week, UN Conference of the Parties (COP) and plastics treaty negotiations held in Kenya, Egypt, Dubai, Azerbaijan, and Switzerland.
READ ALSO: PREMIUM TIMES reporter wins 2026 Solution Journalism Award
In 2025, Mojeed was the sole African journalist among the 11 to 12 selected for the esteemed Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting Programme (SHERP) at New York University, with scholarship to pursue studies in the United States. Regrettably, he was unable to participate due to the ongoing stringent visa policies affecting Nigerian and other international applicants worldwide.
His work has earned recognition locally and internationally, with participation in both local and global fellowships including the prestigious SEJ Diversity Fellowship (Philadelphia, USA) and the Y. Eva. Tan Conservation Reporting Fellowship (Mongabay). He is a nature enthusiast. When he is not working, he enjoys travelling, reading, watching and playing soccer.
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