By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
The Immediate Past President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, has been appointed Chairman of the Climate Change Working Group of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), in a move that has been widely welcomed by journalists across the continent.
The appointment was announced in December 2025 during a high-level FAJ mee;ting held on the sidelines of a three-day continental workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, focused on strengthening journalists’ capacity to advance climate justice and just transition reporting in Africa.
Announcing the decision, FAJ President Omar Farouk Osman described Ahmed Sahid Nasralla as “the right leader at a defining moment for African journalism and climate advocacy,” noting that his experience and leadership qualities make him well suited for the role.
“As Ex-Officio of SLAJ, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla now has the time to concentrate on this all-important assignment to help position FAJ as a critical player in the continental climate change agenda,” Omar Farouk Osman said. “He has the leadership experience, strong personality and integrity needed to engage development partners and funding organisations to help capacitate African journalists to prioritize climate change reporting.”
Ahmed Sahid Nasralla is also a Reserve Member of the FAJ Executive Steering Committee, where he has served for over a year and a half. According to the FAJ leadership, his tenure has been marked by consistent, results-driven contributions that have strengthened the Federation’s strategic direction.
“He is a result-oriented leader whose interventions have added real value to FAJ’s work,” the FAJ President added.
As Chairman, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla will lead a diverse Climate Change Working Group drawn from across Africa, reflecting FAJ’s commitment to inclusivity and regional balance. The members include Violet Nakamba Mengo of Zambia as Vice Chairperson, Promise G. Twinamukye of Uganda as Secretary and George Maponsa of Zimbabwe, Diaraye Guirassy of Guinea and Mathias Mouende Ngamo of Cameroon as members.
The Working Group is expected to play a central role in coordinating FAJ’s climate justice agenda, strengthening journalistic responses to climate change and supporting African journalists to report climate issues through a labour, development and public-interest lens.
Accepting the appointment, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla thanked the FAJ leadership and colleagues for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to work closely with his team to deliver tangible results.
“We must go beyond conferences and workshops and begin to build sustainable systems that strengthen journalists’ long-term engagement in the fight for climate justice across Africa,” he said.
His remarks echoed the key outcomes of the Nairobi workshop, which emphasized the need for coordinated continental strategies, information integrity and solutions-oriented journalism in addressing climate change challenges.
The FAJ workshop, held from 18–20 December 2025, brought together journalist leaders and union representatives from across Africa to examine how climate change is reshaping jobs, livelihoods, food security and public health. Participants underscored the critical role of journalism in translating complex climate policies into clear, accessible information that empowers workers and communities.
The meeting culminated in the adoption of the Nairobi Declaration, reaffirming FAJ’s commitment to climate justice, just transition and the protection of information integrity in the face of rising misinformation and disinformation.
Ahmed Sahid Nasralla’s appointment is widely viewed as a strategic step to ensure strong leadership, continuity and effective follow-through on those commitments. As Africa confronts the accelerating impacts of climate change, FAJ’s Climate Change Working Group, under his leadership, is expected to position journalists not only as observers of the crisis, but as active actors in shaping accountability, public understanding and climate justice across the continent.
