Eleven journalists nominated for 2020 African Fact-Checking Awards

Eleven journalists have been named as finalists for the 2020 edition of the African Fact-Checking Awards.

According to the shortlist announced by the organisers of the award, Africa Check four of the seven in the race for the Fact Check of the Year by a working journalist are Nigerians, while two other Nigerians also made the students’ category list of four.

They were selected from 192 entries submitted by a total of 140 journalists and 28 journalism students.

The entries must have been first published or broadcast on any date from 1 August 2019 to 22 August 2020 and should have exposed a claim on an important topic made by a public figure or institution in Africa as misleading or wrong.

The winner of the award for the best fact-checking report by a working journalist will get a prize of $3,000, while the runner-up will be awarded $1,500.

The prize for the best fact-checking report by a student journalist is $2,000, and the runner-up $1,000.

Shortlist

Fact-Check of the Year by a Working Journalist

Moussa Ngom “Sur les traces des importations de déchets plastiques américains au Sénégal”

Aisha Abdool Karim “The coronavirus ‘vaccine’ Ekurhuleni wants to import doesn’t exist”

Oluwadamilola Ojetunde “Okonjo Iweala posts 2019 photo to justify sharing of COVID 19 relief materials in Rwanda”

Olayinka Shehu “FACT CHECK: Does 5G pose a health risk to the human body?”

Taiwo Adebulu “FACT CHECK: Nigeria told UN that 7 varsities run strictly on renewable energy, but is this true?”

Peris Gachahi “Is This Photo Of The Free Food Being Distributed In Rwanda During Lockdown?”

Mayowa Tijani “Presidential spokesman’s claim that malaria kills 822 Nigerians every day reflects estimates that are more than a decade old”

Fact-Check of the Year by a Student Journalist

Fatoumata Bintou Ba “Fact-checking – « Inquiétant taux de divorce à THIÈS » ? De fausses données rapportées dans deux articles du quotidien « le Témoin »”