Chairman of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), Olanrewaju Suraju, has been awarded the 2025 Courageous Scientists Award for Environmental and Climate Justice from Africa.

The award is an international honour established by the Vienna-based organisation, Forum Eco-Social Transformations.

Mr Suraju was announced as one of six global winners selected from 22 nominees across Africa, Asia, Australia/Oceania, Europe, South (Latin) America and North America. The award, created in 2025, recognises individuals who demonstrate exceptional courage and commitment to environmental protection, climate justice and species preservation, often at significant personal risk.

The organisers affirmed that Mr Suraju’s selection acknowledges his “outstanding and inspiring work, long-time fight against corruption, and deep commitment to human rights,” especially through his leadership of HEDA Resource Centre.

In Asia, the Scientific Advisory Board offered the prize to two researchers from two different countries. Both were grateful but declined the prize. Officials said they weighed the decision and concluded that the attention it would bring could put their lives, work, and the wider cause in imminent danger, serving as a stark reminder that researching the pressing problems of our times is not without risk.

Others from Australia/Oceania — Cynthia Houniuhi of Vanuatu, president of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Club; from Europe: Elisa Privitera, Italian urban and environmental planner at the University of Toronto Scarborough; from North (Latin) America: Olivia Bisa Tirko, president of the Autonomous Territorial Government of the Chapra Nation, Peru; and from North America: Rose Abramoff, earth scientist at the University of Maine, USA.

The winners were selected by a six-member international jury comprising experts in environmental economics, climate science, indigenous rights advocacy, urban planning and ecological research from across the world. A five-member Scientific Advisory Board based in Vienna, led by Ernst Fürlinger, oversaw the process.

The award was founded by Austrian architectural historian and climate advocate Dr Norbert Mayr, who said the recognition highlights Mr Suraju’s sustained commitment to environmental justice and accountability.

Speaking on the award in a statement issued by HEDA, Mr Suraju described the award as an encouragement to continue advocating for transparency and climate responsibility.

He dedicated the recognition to environmental defenders and civil society actors in Africa who work under challenging conditions. He further decried the inhumane environmental and human rights conditions of the Niger Delta, and accused state authorities, the IOCs, and their host countries of complicity in the creation of the world’s most polluted region out of the Niger Delta from oil exploitation.

The public award ceremony took place on 15 November 2025 in Vienna, with global participants joining in person and online.