By Bilkis Abdulraheem Lawal
Fifteen journalists from 14 media outlets across Nigeria have been selected for the 2025/2026 Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Journalism Fellowship, a flagship initiative jointly implemented by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in partnership with and support from Co-Develop.
The selected Fellows emerged from nearly 200 applicants and 45 shortlisted candidates after a highly competitive process. They represent a mix of print, broadcast, and online media, with eight males and seven females drawn from different parts of the country.
Through the six-month Fellowship, which runs from October 31, 2025, to April 30, 2026, participants will undergo hands-on training, editorial mentorship, and gain access to a continental information hub on Digital Public Infrastructures (DPIs) and Digital Public Goods (DPGs). They will also join a growing alumni network of journalists across West Africa who are using media to shape discourse on the continent’s digital transformation.
At the end of the programme, successful Fellows will be awarded a Certificate of Honor in recognition of their contribution to promoting transparency, accountability, and awareness around digital infrastructure and governance in Nigeria.
According to the Executive Director of MFWA, Sulemana Braimah, “The DPI Journalism Fellowship represents a strategic investment in fostering informed and independent media narratives that shape public discourses around inclusive design, implementation, and uptake of DPI developments in the areas of policy, governance, and utility.
The selected Fellows include:
Bilkis Abdulraheem Lawal – Bond FM (FRCN), Lagos
Rasheedat Oladotun Iliyas – Harmony FM (FRCN), Kwara
Adepetun Adeyemi – The Guardian Newspapers,
Lagos Abubakar Muhammad Usman – WikkiTimes, Kano
Omolabake Fasogbon – ThisDay Newspaper, Lagos.
Yakubu Mohammed – Premium Times, Abuja
Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim – Daily Episode,
Kano Obidah Habila Albert – HumAngle Media, Abuja
Abdulsemiu Monsuroh – TheCable, Lagos
Juliet Buna – Crest 91.1FM, Ibadan
Juliet Umeh – Vanguard Newspapers, Lagos
Kola Muhammed – Legit.ng, Lagos
Timileyin Precious Akinmoyeje – Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Lagos
Anibe Idajili – TechCityNG, Niger Frank Eleanya – TechCabal, Lagos
Over the course of the Fellowship, the journalists are expected to produce at least six original, data-driven stories focusing on issues such as inclusive digital identification, digital payments, interoperability, data exchange, and safeguards in the design and governance of digital systems across Africa.
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