Africa’s Quest – Contributor Guidelines 

Editorial Focus and Structure

The magazine is looking for contributions aligned with the following themes.

• Civil society strengthening and sustainability
• Philanthropy and community-focused initiatives
• Governance, accountability, and public policy
• Community-led development and citizen engagement 
• Social innovation and systems change 

Strong submissions typically offer new insights, practical lessons, or challenge conventional thinking. 

Types of Articles

Africa’s Quest is open to opinion, analysis and thought pieces evolving around civic engagement, philanthropy and communities, and economic development and livelihoods. 

What We Don’t Accept: 

• Press releases or promotional content  
• Articles primarily promoting a specific company, product, or service 
• Academic papers without clear business relevance 

Writing Style & Tone 

SIVIO prioritises clarity, credibility, and accessibility. Good articles “show, not just tell,” using real-world examples. 

Contributors should: 

• Write in clear, concise, and professional language
• Avoid excessive jargon; explain technical terms where necessary
• Use subheadings for readability
• Support arguments with evidence, examples, or data
• Maintain a strong narrative or argument throughout

Editorial Standards 

All submissions must adhere to the following principles: 

1. Originality 
   • Work must be original and not previously published elsewhere 
   • No plagiarism or unauthorised use of content 
2. Accuracy & Evidence 
   • All facts, statistics, and claims must be verifiable 
   • Sources must be credible and clearly attributed 
3. Fairness & Integrity 
   • Present balanced perspectives where relevant 
   • Avoid misleading or exaggerated claims 
4. Respect & Inclusion 
   • No hate speech, discrimination, or harmful stereotypes 
   • Content should reflect diverse African voices and experiences 
5. Refencing Style 
   • Use APA referencing Style 
6. Formatting Guidelines 
   • Font: Book Antiqua, size 11
   • Line spacing: 1.15 
   • Use clear headings and subheadings 
   • Hyperlink references within the text (no excessive footnotes) 
   • Make sure that the first use of an acronym is spelt out – Citizens Perceptions and Expectations (CPE)

Submission Process

To pitch an article for consideration, email the Africa’s Quest editor at magazine@sivioinstitute.org with a proposed headline, a brief outline, and any information about your experience.  All submissions made to the editor must include: 

• Article (Word document or equivalent
• Word Limit: 800 – 1200 words 
• Title and subtitle 
• Author full name, designation, and social media handles 
• Organisation/affiliation (if applicable) 
• Up to 100-word author bio 
• Author headshot (high resolution) 
• Hyperlinked sources or references (where applicable) 
• Optional: 
  • Suggested images (with captions and credits) submitted as JPG, JPEG, PNG formats 

Review and Editorial Process 

The Africa’s Quest Editorial retains discretion over final publication decisions. All submissions undergo editorial review for: 

• Relevance 
• Quality and originality 
• Alignment with SIVIO’s mission 
• Editors may: 
  • Request revisions 
  • Edit for clarity, tone, and structure 
  • Decline submissions that do not meet standards 

Publication & Rights 

Authors retain ownership of their work. SIVIO retains the right to: 

• Edit, publish, and distribute content across platforms
• Republishing elsewhere must acknowledge: 
  “First published in Africa’s Quest.” 
• Contributions are currently unpaid, unless otherwise agreed in writing 

Contributors must: 

• Declare any conflicts of interest 
• Disclose funding sources or affiliations relevant to the article 
• Avoid promotional or advertorial content unless agreed 
• Sponsored or partner content will be clearly labelled to maintain transparency. 

Errors identified post-publication will be corrected promptly. Significant corrections will be clearly noted 

Deadlines 

Africa’s Quest is published quarterly, i.e., every first Thursday of January, April, July, and October. Submission of full articles accompanied by an abstract/outline summary is due every 24^th of January, April, July, and October.