Submission Guidelines for Contributors

Thank you for your interest in contributing to our publication. We welcome original, accurate, insightful, and engaging submissions from journalists, writers, researchers, experts, and independent contributors around the world.

Our aim is to publish diverse perspectives and high-quality journalism that informs public debate, promotes understanding, and highlights important developments across Africa and the world.

1. Topics We Cover

We welcome submissions on a broad range of subjects, including:

• Politics, governance, democracy, and elections
• African affairs, international relations, and global politics
• Human rights, social justice, and civil liberties
• Economy, business, trade, and development
• Climate change, environment, and natural resources
• Health, education, science, and technology
• Gender equality, culture, identity, and society
• Conflict, peacebuilding, security, and humanitarian issues
• Arts, literature, music, and cultural commentary
• Investigative reporting, interviews, analysis, and opinion

We particularly encourage original stories, underreported issues, and perspectives from communities whose experiences are often overlooked.

2. Originality and Exclusivity

All submissions must be original work written by the contributor. Please disclose whether the article has been published elsewhere, submitted to another publication, or generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.

Do not submit plagiarised work or reproduce another person’s writing without appropriate permission and attribution. Previously published material will be considered only when its publication history and rights are clearly disclosed.

3. Article Length and Format

As a general guide, we recommend the following lengths:

• News reports: 500–800 words
• Features and analysis: 800–1,500 words
• Opinion and commentary: 600–1,200 words
• Interviews: 800–1,500 words
• Investigative articles: Length agreed upon with the editor

Please submit articles in clear, editable text with a descriptive headline and short paragraphs. Include subheadings where appropriate and explain unfamiliar terms or acronyms for a general readership.

These word counts are guidelines rather than strict limits.

4. Accuracy, Research, and Sources

Contributors are responsible for ensuring that their submissions are accurate, fair, and adequately supported by evidence.

• Verify names, dates, quotations, statistics, locations, and other factual claims.
• Cite credible sources and provide links to relevant reports, research, official documents, and datasets where available.
• Distinguish established facts from allegations, analysis, and personal opinion.
• Give individuals and organisations a fair opportunity to respond to serious allegations where appropriate.
• Never fabricate quotations, sources, events, photographs, or data.
• Clearly disclose any uncertainty or limitations in the available evidence.

Anonymous sources should be used only when justified by the public interest and handled transparently with the editor.

5. Editorial Standards and Ethics

We expect contributors to uphold high standards of journalistic integrity, independence, fairness, and accountability.

Submissions must avoid hate speech, discriminatory language, deliberate misinformation, defamation, and unsupported accusations. Sensitive subjects, including conflict, sexual violence, children, and vulnerable communities, must be handled with care and respect.

Contributors must disclose relevant conflicts of interest, financial relationships, political affiliations that may affect a particular assignment, and other interests that could reasonably influence their work.

Opinion pieces are welcome, but opinions must be clearly distinguishable from factual reporting.

6. Photographs, Videos, and Other Media

Please provide high-quality photographs, illustrations, videos, or other supporting materials where relevant.

Contributors must have the necessary rights or permissions to submit such material for publication. Include the creator’s name, a caption, the date and location where applicable, and the source or licence information.

Images must not be manipulated in a way that misrepresents events. AI-generated or substantially AI-altered images must be disclosed and may be subject to additional editorial review.

7. Headlines, Tags, and Categories

Please suggest a clear, informative headline that accurately reflects the article.

Where possible, include:

• A short summary or standfirst.
• The most relevant editorial category.
• Three to five relevant tags from the publication’s existing tag list.
• Suggested links to related articles or reliable background sources.

Editors may revise headlines, categories, tags, and summaries to maintain consistency and improve discoverability.

8. Contributor Details

Please include the following information with your submission:

• Full name or preferred professional byline.
• A short biography of approximately 50–100 words.
• Your country or city of residence, if relevant and safe to disclose.
• Your professional affiliation, if applicable.
• Links to your portfolio, website, or previously published work.
• Your contact details for editorial correspondence.
• Any relevant conflicts of interest or disclosures.

Please indicate whether you prefer to publish under a pseudonym. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

9. Editing and Publication

All submissions are subject to editorial review. Editors may request revisions, verify facts, improve clarity, adjust headlines, and make reasonable changes to grammar, structure, style, and formatting.

Substantive changes will be handled with appropriate editorial care. Contributors may be contacted for clarification or additional information before publication.

Submission does not guarantee acceptance or publication. Publication timelines depend on editorial priorities, verification requirements, and available space.

10. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

AI tools may be used responsibly for limited assistance, such as proofreading, transcription, or organising research. Contributors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, fairness, and integrity of their work.

Please disclose substantial AI assistance. Do not use AI tools to fabricate evidence, sources, interviews, quotations, photographs, or factual claims. All references and factual information must be independently verified.

11. Copyright and Permissions

Contributors must have the legal right to submit their work and any accompanying media.

The terms governing copyright, publication rights, syndication, republication, and any payment arrangements should be agreed upon with the publication before publication. Contributors should disclose any existing contractual or licensing restrictions.

By submitting an article, you confirm that the work does not knowingly infringe another party’s rights.

12. How to Submit

Please send your article and supporting materials through our designated submission form or editorial contact channel.

Suggested email subject: Article Submission – [Proposed Headline] – [Contributor Name]

Please include the article, contributor biography, suggested headline, relevant sources, and any supporting media or captions.

For pitches, briefly explain the story, why it matters now, the people or issues involved, and how you intend to report it. Please do not send confidential documents or sensitive source information through unsecured channels without first discussing a safe method with the editor.

13. Feedback and Revisions

We value constructive communication with contributors. If revisions are requested, please respond within the agreed timeframe and flag any factual or ethical concerns.

Contributors should promptly notify the editorial team if they discover a significant error in a published article. Corrections will be handled transparently in accordance with editorial policy.

14. Our Commitment to Contributors

We aim to provide a fair, respectful, and professional editorial process. We welcome contributors from different backgrounds, countries, disciplines, and levels of experience, provided their work meets our editorial standards.

We believe strong journalism benefits from diverse voices, rigorous research, thoughtful analysis, and a commitment to public interest.

We look forward to reading your work and hearing your perspectives on Africa and the wider world.