DUBAWA and the Digital Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Information Disorder Analysis Centre (DAIDAC) have trained 40 selected journalists across West Africa as part of its Kwame Karikari 2025 fact-checking and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) fellowship.
The fellowship aims to combat information disorder by enhancing fact-checking, promoting media literacy, and disseminating accurate information.
The fellows were drawn from different media platforms across six West African countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
Roselena Ahiable, DUBAWA’s Project Manager for West Africa, said the fellowship this year is an act of collective resistance.
She noted that DUBAWA, through this fellowship, is building a human firewall composed of critical thinkers armed with tools to expose hidden puppet strings to distinguish authentic voices from manufactured ones and protect the sanctity of our information ecosystem.
“This year’s fellowship is more than just a training. Each fellow who will emerge from this programme carries not just technical skills but a sacred responsibility to be the antibody to information disorder.
“In this new era of information warfare, it’s not just professional development, it’s an act of patriotism,” she said.
DAIDAC’s digital investigations manager, Silas Jonathan, also said that this year’s fellowship is unique because it addresses anti-democratic narratives and polarising messaging that have now flooded our information ecosystem.
“This year’s fellowship will help counter the challenge of disinformation, particularly as it pertains to anti-democratic narratives, and polarising messaging in terms of terror groups and other issues that have been invasive in our society.
“The selection of the fellows, combining past fellows and new ones, also signals that this is a unique way to have expert-level engagement so that we can respond to these rising issues,” he said.
Given technological advancements in the media sector, this year’s fellows were trained to apply OSINT tools to fact-checking.
As part of the three-month fellowship, DUBAWA will support fellows in creating fact-checking units in their respective media platforms, further expanding their media dynamics.
The fellowship will help participants network with other media personalities, expand their professional social groups, and amplify their voices.
Below is a list of the 2025 fellows and their respective media platforms:
Nigeria
Glory Ugonma Itiafe – Diamond 885FM Ilesha
Raphael Onyekachi Obasiohia – Kruzz 92.9FM Asaba
Abdullahi Tijani – The Liberalist
Mohammed Dahiru Lawal – PRNigeria and Daily Nigerian
Daniel Ojukwu – Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ)
Dare Akogun – Sobi FM Ilorin
Justina Asishana – The Nation Newspaper
Olaide Abioye Blessing – Crest 91.1FM, Ibadan
Caleb Ijioma – Round check
Fortune Ose Eromonsele – Premium Times Nigeria
Aramide Olorunyomi – Dataphyte and Premium Times
Gbemi Animasawun Premium Times
Ibijoke Osayinpeju – Premium Times
Ghana
Caleb Ahinakwah – Asaase Radio
Dzube Victor Kwame Apollo – Afenya Media
Yahaya Masahudu –
News Wire GH
Karen Antwi – Tobinco Media Group (Bullet TV)
Desmond Tinana – Ghana News Guide
Liberia
Tina Mehnpaine – Liberian Observer Newspaper
Grace Princess Tarwo – Liberia Broadcasting System
Sierra Leone
Idrissa Kargbo Global – Multimedia Online TV
Benedict AbuBakarr Conteh – Beline Media Empire
Dr. Francis Sowa – FactsAlone
Alusine Rehme Wilson – Awoko Newspaper / Northern Times Newspaper
Patricia Sia Ngevao – Awoko Publications (SL) Ltd.
The Gambia
Ebrima Mbaye – Fact-Check Centre The Gambia
Mariama A. Darboe – The Point Newspaper
Awa Macalo – The Republic
Côte d’Ivoire
Frédéric Goré-Bi. – RTI Info
Sinlhaugo Mhinwa Abdoul-khader COULIBALY –
REPLECI
Mominé COULIBALY – Linfodrome
Hanzet Murielle Marie-Désirée EDOUA – NCI
Hubert-Armand Assin – AIP
Senegal
Ayoba Faye – Walfadjiri
Ndiaye Mamadou – GFM
Ansoumana DASYLVA – GMS
Fana Cissé – PressAfrik
Babacar Gueye DIOP – Le Soleil
