Hannah Ajala is currently an international broadcast journalist for BBC World Service radio. From working with the BBC to creating her own project called We Are Black Journos, Ajala has continued to work hard as a female journalist. We Are Black Journos is a community platform that was created to celebrate and connect Black journalists and those aspiring to work in journalism.
Ajala has travelled across West Africa, working on a range of stories and broadcasting for international organisations. She has visited more than 50 countries, shedding light on engaging stories about marginalised communities which have led her to reporting on inspiring and uplifting international topics. The podcast Love, Janessa, hosted by Ajala, premiered 23 January on BBC Sounds, CBC Listen and on most podcast apps. Produced by Antica Productions and Telltale Industries, Love, Janessa is an eight-part series which delves into the murky world of online romance scams to find an adult entertainment star who is the unwitting human face of a digital con.
Ajala has also been a guest on several podcasts to share her travel experiences and insights, including The Travel Diaries, The Wanderlust Women and Go Girl! “Hannah has an energy about and concern for the craft of podcasting,” the judges said, “that spills out of her work and the development of others. There are artists and leaders in audio. Hannah shows competence in both.”
Nominated by: Dayo Akwasi Sarpong, senior journalist and presenter, BBC World Service
