Inside AFP
AFP Lagos fact-checker awarded at pan-African conference
AFP Lagos Segun Olakoyenikan has been announced the runner-up in the category “Fact-Check of the Year by a Working Journalist” by the renowned Africa Check organisation, in a virtual ceremony held on Tuesday 12 October as part of this year’s African Investigative Journalism Conference.
Nigerian-born ‘Segun Olakoyenikan is an experienced reporter who joined AFP's digital verification division in Lagos in 2019.
With a strong background in business journalism, he has debunked a wide array of claims ranging from Covid-related misinformation to politicians misusing official data.
His winning investigation revealed that the aide of Nigeria's president had shared a made-up EU quote on social media, praising the government for its role in the rescue of children kidnapped by Boko Haram.
"The story matters because Nigeria is battling numerous security issues. A statement from the EU endorsing the government might be perceived as being partisan and increase tensions," Olakoyenikan said.
He is the second fact-checker in Lagos to scoop the award. In 2019, Mayowa Tijani reaped the same prize for his story about a minister's false claim that Nigeria had "more than enough" doctors.
In a further sign of AFP's clout in digital verification, Johannesburg-based James OKong'o was also shortlisted at this year's Africa Check Awards.
See Africa Check press release here for all the informations regarding the 8 th annual African Fact-Checking Awards