The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in partnership with Co-Develop has selected Babaji Usman, a WikkiTimes‘ journalist alongside 44 others from West Africa for its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods (DPG) Phase II Fellowship.
The Ghana-based International non-governmental organisation has disclosed that the fellowship will run for six consecutive months which will combine intensive training and hands-on reporting to boost public awareness, engagement, and adoption of DPI/DPGs across West Africa.
The MFWA explained that Babaji’s selection came after a rigorous selection process among 291 applicants across four African countries of Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, and Togo.
Babaji is a dedicated WikkiTimes reporter, known for his in-depth reporting on issues at the subnational level.
In an engagement letter to Babaji, MFWA congratulated him and emphasized the fellowship’s aim to build a cadre of journalists who will spearhead DPI and DPG awareness.
The Foundation appreciated experience and record of each fellow in working to make digital infrastructure more accessible and inclusive within their communities.
“After a thorough selection process, the 45 fellows were selected from a pool of 291 applications received for the second phase of the prestigious Fellowship programme. The Fellows comprise 28 (62%) males and 17 (37%) females from Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo,” MFWA published on Tuesday.
Nigeria has 20 journalists selected, Benin and Ghana with 10 each, while five fellows were selected from Togo.
According to MFWA, the first three months of the programme, which start from November 6, 2024, to January 31, 2025, will comprise intensive virtual and in-person training sessions, while the second part will span from February to April 2025 and will involve post-fellowship activities including story productions and publications about DPI/DPGs issues.
As part of the programme, selected fellows will participate in a blend of virtual and in-person training and participate in International DPI events.
During the fellowship, Babaji alongside other fellows will be supported by MFWA to produce quality report around DPI issues.
MFWA further announced that WikkiTimes, as a partner in the project, will also receive a one-time grant to support the publication of fellowship-related stories.
In an MoU with MFWA, WikkiTimes noted that it will provide all the necessary support for Babaji’s full participation in the fellowship and will ensure his stories reach its wide audience.
WikkiTimes, a data-driven and investigative journalism platform with focus in subnational governance in northern Nigeria, has been extensively reporting on issues that expand democracy and promote accountability including digital public infrastructure.
In 2023, MFWA engaged 20 journalists comprising from Benin, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Togo for the Phase I of the fellowship.
 selected Babaji Usman, reporter with WikkiTimes' journalist for its DPI/DPG Phase II Fellowship. ){kind=link}