Fifteen Nigerian journalists, including ’s Frank Eleanya, have been selected for the 2025/2026 Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Journalism Fellowship, an initiative designed to strengthen public understanding of digital governance and innovation across Africa.
The 15 fellows, drawn from 14 media outlets across print, broadcast, and online platforms, were chosen after a rigorous selection process that reviewed nearly 200 applications and shortlisted 45 candidates. The final cohort features a balanced mix of eight males and seven females, reflecting gender inclusion in media capacity development.
Organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in partnership with Co-Develop, the fellowship aims to promote media-driven awareness, accountability, and participation in the evolution of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods (DPGs). Through hands-on training, editorial mentorship, and access to a continental information hub, participants will gain the tools to produce high-quality journalism on digital identity, payments, data exchange, and interoperability systems shaping Africa’s digital future.
Each fellow will receive a monthly stipend of $250 for the first three months, while their newsrooms will be supported with $1,000 under a DPI/DPG Newsroom Partnership Agreement. Fellows who excel will be eligible for investigative reporting grants and international travel opportunities to global DPI convenings.
Running from October 31, 2025, to April 30, 2026, the six-month fellowship will require participants to publish at least six original stories exploring inclusive and accountable digital infrastructure. Graduates will be awarded Certificates of Honour recognising their role in advancing transparency and governance in Africa’s digital transformation.
According to MFWA’s Executive Director, Sulemana Braimah, the fellowship is a “strategic investment in fostering informed and independent media narratives” around DPI and DPG developments.
