Nigerian Whistleblower Gets Global Recognition
A former senior official of Nigeria’s university admissions body, Yisa Usman, who has gained international recognition for whistleblowing efforts linked to public accountability.
What happened is that Usman, who once served as a deputy director at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, was named runner-up for the 2026 Ellsberg Whistleblower Award.
The decision was reached by an independent international jury that reviewed entries from different parts of the world.
Where the recognition places him is alongside global voices who have exposed wrongdoing in the public interest.
While Usman finished as the closest runner-up, the overall award went to Colombian environmental whistleblower Andrés Olarte Peña.
According to the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, is that the honour reinforces the importance of whistleblowing in Nigeria.
The group described the outcome as proof that speaking out against misconduct can carry public value and global relevance.
