In a significant boost for accountability reporting in Northern Nigeria, the WikkiTimes Media Foundation has officially opened applications for the Anas Aremeyaw Anas AI Accountability Fellowship. This innovative six-month programme is designed to equip journalists with advanced digital tools to probe the extractive industries and environmental challenges prevalent in the region.
Empowering Reporters in Resource-Rich Communities
The fellowship is a direct response to the expanding scale of mining and extractive operations across many northern states, which has often been met with limited media scrutiny. According to WikkiTimes, communities in these areas grapple with serious issues including illegal mining, severe environmental degradation, resource theft, forced displacement, and inadequate regulatory oversight.
Local newsrooms frequently lack the technical capacity and specialized tools needed to thoroughly investigate these complex problems. This programme aims to bridge that gap by providing hands-on training and sustained editorial support to journalists reporting from the front lines of these affected communities.
A Fellowship Named for a Journalism Icon
The programme carries the name of the renowned Ghanaian undercover journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, celebrated globally for his fearless, evidence-based investigative work. Haruna Mohammed Salisu, the publisher of WikkiTimes, explained that the fellowship was named in honour of Anas due to his unwavering commitment to holding power to account.
Salisu recounted a motivating incident from 2024 when Anas was invited to a conference in Gombe co-hosted by WikkiTimes and Northeastern University. After missing his flight from Abuja, Anas undertook an overnight road journey to ensure he could attend and inspire the participants.
"He believed the young journalists we brought together deserved encouragement," Salisu stated, noting that Anas's dedication left a lasting impression on the students and early-career reporters present.
Structure and Benefits of the AI Fellowship
The fellowship is structured into two distinct phases over its six-month duration. The first three-month phase will be intensive training-focused. Fellows will receive instruction in crucial modern journalism skills, including:
- AI-assisted research and reporting techniques.
- Open-source intelligence (OSINT) gathering.
- Analysis of satellite imagery for investigative work.
- Digital verification and fact-checking.
- Safety protocols for sensitive reporting.
- Specialized knowledge in extractive sector governance.
The second three-month phase is a practical practicum. During this period, fellows will collaborate closely with seasoned editors at WikkiTimes to research and produce in-depth investigative reports on extractive industry and environmental topics.
Selected participants will benefit from a comprehensive support package, which includes expert editorial mentorship, a monthly stipend, and access to premium digital investigative tools. Each fellow is expected to complete at least one major investigation in partnership with WikkiTimes. Upon successful conclusion of the programme, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion personally signed by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The application window for this transformative opportunity is now open for journalists based in or reporting on Northern Nigeria. This initiative represents a critical investment in building local capacity for accountability journalism, using cutting-edge technology to tell the stories of communities impacted by the extractive sector.
