Media leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa join JournalismAI Academy

JournalismAI Academy
Written By Lwazi Maseko

Journalists from eight African countries will master AI skills in the region's second JournalismAI Academy

We're excited to announce the participants selected for the second edition of the JournalismAI Academy, supported by the Google News Initiative, for Sub-Saharan Africa. This programme, with its focused approach to unique challenges and opportunities in the region, brings together journalists, editors, and media leaders from eight African countries to spend the next five weeks learning how artificial intelligence can enhance their newsroom workflows and strengthen their journalism.

Participants will leave the Academy with a practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges offered by AI technologies, examples of successful implementation, and the tools to set up an action plan to guide the development of AI projects in their news organisations.

The selection process was highly competitive, with 194 applications received from 36 countries across the region. The strong response demonstrates the growing recognition amongst African media professionals that AI tools can address some of journalism's most pressing challenges, from resource constraints to information verification.

The selected media leaders come from Cameroon, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe and here’s what JournalismAI learned from all of the applicants.

AI policies remain underdeveloped across the region

We asked applicants whether their organisations have formal AI policies or guidelines, a question that reflects the increasing need for ethical frameworks as AI becomes more common in newsrooms.

The results highlight a significant gap. Only 12% of the 194 organisations reported having formal AI guidelines in place. Another 33% organisations are currently developing policies, while more than half, 52%, said they lack any AI framework. Five applicants indicated they weren't sure about their organisation's AI policy status.

This finding underscores a critical need: whilst newsrooms are beginning to experiment with AI tools, many lack the structured approach necessary for responsible implementation.

Misinformation emerges as a key challenge

One of the most striking findings from our applications was the frequency with which journalists mentioned challenges related to misinformation and disinformation. Over 40% of applicants specifically cited issues with false information, fact-checking, verification, or maintaining credibility in their responses.

This reflects a reality many newsrooms across Sub-Saharan Africa face daily. Journalists described struggling to verify information quickly, tracking false claims across multiple platforms, and maintaining public trust in increasingly complex information environments.

Many applicants expressed interest in learning how AI can help automate fact-checking processes, detect potentially false claims, and streamline verification workflows, freeing up time for deeper investigative work.

Diverse newsrooms seek practical solutions

The applications came from newsrooms of all sizes and types across the region. Nigeria led with 52 applications, followed by Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The remaining applications represented 31 other countries, showing broad regional interest in AI adoption.

Most applicants work in small to medium-sized newsrooms where AI tools could significantly enhance productivity. Many operate in resource-constrained environments where automation could help teams accomplish more with limited staff and budgets.

The selected participants represent different media formats from community radio stations serving local audiences to digital publications reaching national readerships. Many work in multilingual environments and serve communities where access to reliable information is particularly crucial.

Common goals amongst applicants included learning to use AI for transcription and translation, automating routine tasks, improving data analysis capabilities, and enhancing audience engagement through better content personalisation.

Meet the Participants

🇨🇲 Cameroon

🇰🇪 Kenya

🇱🇸 Lesotho

🇳🇬 Nigeria

🇿🇦 South Africa

🇺🇬 Uganda

🇹🇿 Tanzania

  • Ediga Kikanja | Presenter and Producer at C FM

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

Meet the Instructors

Each module will be led by instructors with expertise in AI and journalism: 

Module 1: Camilla Bath
Programme Director, World Press Institute

Module 2: Alastair Otter
Managing Partner & Developer, Media Hack and The Outlier

Module 3: Mansir Muhammed

Geospatial Intelligence Specialist, HumAngle Media

Module 4: Emsie Erastus
Digital Rights Consultant

Module 5: Athandiwe Saba
AI Newsroom Initiative Lead, CodeForAfrica

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Follow the participants' progress and stay updated on their learning journey by connecting with us on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and X.

Lwazi Maseko
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