Legit.ng Journalist among 15 Selected for 2025/2026 DPI Fellowship
- Legit.ng’s senior copyeditor, Kola Muhammed, has been selected among 15 journalists for the 2025/2026 DPI Journalism Fellowship
- The prestigious programme, organised by MFWA and Co-Develop, aims to strengthen media coverage of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods (DPGs) across West Africa
- The fellowship will run from October 2025 to April 2026, providing training, mentorship, and investigative grants to enhance digital governance reporting in Nigeria
Kola Muhammed, a journalist and senior copyeditor with Legit.ng, has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2025/2026 Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Journalism Fellowship, alongside 14 others.
The competitive fellowship, which aims to amplify public awareness of digital public infrastructure and digital public goods, is a joint initiative of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Co-Develop.
Source: UGC
The 15 finalists, who were chosen from nearly 200 applicants and 45 shortlisted candidates, represent a mix of print, broadcast, and online media outlets from across Nigeria. The selected fellows include eight males and seven females, reflecting a well-balanced gender representation.
Throughout the fellowship, which runs from October 31, 2025 to April 30, 2026, the journalists will receive hands-on training, editorial mentorship, and gain access to a continental information hub that provides resources on DPI and DPGs. The initiative will also connect them to a growing network of alumni from across West Africa, who are leveraging journalism to explore the digital transformation opportunities and challenges facing the continent.
Kola Muhammed’s career so far
Before joining Legit.ng in 2023, Kola Muhammed has previously worked as an Editorial Quality Assurance Manager at Pulse (Africa), Content Writer at RED Media Africa (YNaija, Y!Africa), and Senior Reporter at the Nigerian Tribune. He has also contributed to platforms such as Business Insider Africa, NotJustOk, and Pendulum Magazine.
Beyond newsroom work, Muhammed, who holds an M.A. in English Language from Obafemi Awolowo University, contributes to entertainment, tech and civic discourses through his newsletter project, AfroDives, Polity Panorama which he co-hosts and The Civic Roundtable. His journalistic interests span culture, digital governance, civic innovation, and public accountability, aligning closely with the goals of the DPI Journalism Fellowship.
Source: UGC
Full list of 2025/2026 DPI Fellows
Below is the full list of selected fellows and their respective media outlets:
- Adepetun Adeyemi – The Guardian Newspapers of Nigeria, Lagos state
- Abubakar Muhammad Usman – WikkiTimes, Kano state
- Omolabake Fasogbon – ThisDay Newspaper, Lagos state
- Yakubu Mohammed – Premium Times, Abuja
- Rasheedat Oladotun Iliyas – Harmony FM (Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria), Kwara state
- Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim – Daily Episode, Kano state
- Obidah Habila Albert – HumAngle Media, Abuja
- Abdulsemiu Monsuroh – TheCable, Lagos state
- Juliet Buna – Crest 91.1FM, Ibadan, Oyo state
- Juliet Umeh – Vanguard Newspapers, Lagos state
- Kola Muhammed – Legit.ng, Lagos
- Timileyin Precious Akinmoyeje – Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Lagos
- Bilkis Abdulraheem Lawal – Bond FM (Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria), Lagos state
- Anibe Idajili – TechCityNG, Niger state
- Frank Eleanya – TechCabal, Lagos state
About DPI Journalism Fellowship
The DPI Journalism Fellowship is a flagship initiative jointly implemented by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), in partnership with and with support from Co-Develop.
The fellowship is aimed at to amplify public awareness, participation, and uptake of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods and Services (DPGs) through media narratives and public discourses.
“The DPI Journalism Fellowship represents a strategic investment in fostering informed and independent media narratives that shape public discourses around inclusive design, implementation and uptake of DPI developments in the areas of policy, governance and utility. And we are grateful to Co-Develop for the partnership and the support in making this initiative possible,” said Sulemana Braimah, executive director of the Media Foundation for West Africa.
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Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
