Media Career Development specialist, Lekan Otufodunrin, profiles the founder/CEO of HumAngle, Ahmad Salkida, who has been devoted to conflict and development reporting for over 23 years.
“I wish to constantly be in a position of valued service to humanity and society. To be relevant to the present and future generations in devising solutions to some challenges confronting society. And to constantly develop and invest in myself.
“I realised that one of the areas of challenges facing human endeavours is the appreciation and development of communication as a weapon to promote understanding, peace and development so that the barriers of economics, creed and traditions that fuel violence, disease, mistrust and poverty may be mitigated or altogether bridged.”
The above quotations from his LinkedIn page aptly capture the motivating factor for the kind of investigative journalism he has practised since 2001 and his decision to establish a media platform uniquely focused on covering conflicts, humanitarian and development issues in Nigeria and across the continent.
Ahmad Salkida, Founder/CEO of HumAngle that marked its fifth anniversary this month through the years has been committed to achieving his goals of putting in so much effort in the service of others at the risk of having as he once said “ to live a life of fear where I look over my shoulder, day in and day out.”
Before founding HumAngle along with a colleague, Dr. Obiora Chukwumba, in March 2020, Salkida had reported for several media organisations, including Insider Magazine, CRYSTAL Magazine, New Sentinel, Daily Trust and Blueprint Newspapers. He also contributed to African Renewal, a publication of the United Nations devoted to research and development issues in Africa, Premium Times, TheCable and other platforms.
With over 23 years of experience in reporting conflict and development, Salkida, regarded as one of the most authoritative knowledge experts on the Boko Haram insurgency, has also reported on the multiple conflict situations in the Lake Chad region.
His access to the Boko Haram insurgents, which informed his exclusive detailed reports of their activities, got him into trouble with the military in Nigeria that once declared him wanted. He was arrested on returning from self-exile in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he fled along with his family after a reported failed assassination attempt on his life by some security officials in Abuja.
His response to those who criticised his close relationship with the insurgents, including journalists who accused him of not being patriotic, was that his interest was only to report as accurately as possible and stick to verifiable claims.
A positive fall-out of his eventual release by the army on September 5, 2016, was the opportunity to think of the idea he had in 2014 to initially publish a general interest publication for which he created an X handle named HumAngle.
The long and rough experience with the Nigerian security sector, the escalating insecurity across the country, and the media blackhole surrounding various dimensions of the conflicts, according to Salkida, made him opt for a niche platform that would predominantly report insecurity and conflict, starting with the Lake Chad countries.
“I got a donation, borrowed money from willing friends, sold my only piece of land, sold my car, and got married to HumAngle. It was a battle I promised to fight with everything I had, and I couldn’t afford to lose. I firmly believe that one of the biggest loopholes the military used against me in 2016 was that I had no affiliation with any media institution beyond my microblog on Twitter (X). I was a freelance journalist, and freelance journalists are sitting ducks in this part of the world,” he recalled in 2021.
According to him, setting up the newsroom with a diverse team to focus on insecurity and conflict in the region, using the most innovative solutions, fastened his transition from Ahmad Salkida to HumAngle Media.
Five years on, HumAngle under Salkida’s leadership has lived up to the vision of being “the authoritative, dominant voice in global media that reports, documents, advocates, and proffers solutions to human insecurity across Africa.”
It has excelled in multimedia storytelling, data journalism, investigative reporting and the use of advanced technologies to tell compelling stories that have won the organisation and staff media awards in the country and globally.
“Five years ago today, we were working tirelessly to bring HumAngle Media to life. What started as a newsroom has grown into a dynamic force— a hub of talent, a catalyst for change, and a voice for underreported issues. Today, we reflect on how far we’ve come, and we look ahead to a future where HumAngle’s impact resonates across the Sahel. Five years from now, many more will not only recognize our name on the continent but also feel the depth of our work. Here’s to the journey ahead—stronger, bolder, and more impactful,” Salkida stated in his fifth-anniversary article.
Head of HumAngles’s Southern Operations, Kabir Adejumo, says Salkida is not just the Founder and CEO of HumAngle but a visionary leader whose dream is nothing but to advance how journalism is practiced in Africa with utmost innovation.
“As an intrepid reporter, joining Salkida exposed me to the human cost of conflict, displacement, and systemic neglect. For him, there’s a reward for hard work, and I am a living testimony, having won the Journalist of the Year award twice in my nearly four years at HumAngle. For the years I did not win, I got a series of commendable letters from him. That’s Salkida for you. He wouldn’t allow any of his staff who sacrifices his/her life to true journalism to suffer.”
Nathaniel Bivan, former Features Editor at HumAngle, also noted that Salkida is “innovative and has a knack for spotting and grooming talent.”
Based on his experience as a media entrepreneur and manager, Salkida regularly share his insights on issues he thinks journalists and other employees should pay attention to.
In one of his posts on LinkedIn, he noted that many employees overlook the profound impact that time and experience in a role have on their personal and professional growth and often measure their past positions solely by tangible outcomes—salaries, promotions, recognition, or the lack thereof—without considering the intangible lessons and skills acquired along the way.
“Yet, every job, every challenge, and every responsibility contribute to shaping one’s expertise, resilience, and adaptability. The journey itself, whether we like it or not, is an essential part of the success story, often preparing individuals for opportunities they may not yet recognize. What may seem like just another role today could, in hindsight, be the foundation for future achievements.”
The idea of job security, according to him, is a double-edged sword for founders/employers who, in light of diminishing revenue prospects, are expected to provide a brick wall support system for their employees, while the employees will jump on the next train that offers better compensation.
“Young people are constantly on the move, which leads founders to invest more effort in finding talent, hiring, training, and retraining rather than focusing on product development and scaling. Institutional growth through sustainable planning and development is hindered. No matter how you look at it, starting a business, sustaining it, and ensuring its success, particularly for social entrepreneurs, is not for the faint of heart,” Salkida stated.
Indeed it takes a Lion and not faint heart to tread the path Salkida has taken in his journey to promote understanding, peace and development so that the barriers of economics, creed and traditions that fuel violence, disease, mistrust and poverty may be mitigated or altogether bridged despite the numerous challenges he has had to contend it.
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