Academy News

As an African data journalist, I aspire to foster informed communities by ensuring that essential issues, such as governance, public policy and socioeconomic inequality, are understood by those who are most affected by them.

Data journalism is my way of creating impact, amplifying voices and contributing to a more transparent society.

The evolving challenge of delivering accessible, transparent and truthful narratives to the public has helped me understand that data journalism isn’t just a profession – it’s a mission shared by analysts, researchers and journalists alike. The challenge for all of us is to communicate complex data without losing the reader’s interest, and to present the nuances of change in a straightforward but visual manner while highlighting both the potential benefits and limitations.

I began my career as a data journalist in 2022 at an NPO, in Johannesburg, working in the governance sphere. I had a degree in political science and governance, but very little experience in data journalism. I quickly realised that data journalism is far more than just mastering Excel or creating charts. Instead, it is a powerful way to tell a story that sheds light on crucial socioeconomic and political issues, humanising and centring those most affected. This is especially the case in countries and contexts where literacy rates are lower and access to reliable data is limited by systemic barriers.

This realisation fuelled my drive to pursue data journalism.

A highlight of being part of the 2024 African Data Journalism Academy class has been learning how to transform complex datasets into narratives that reflect real-life challenges, from public health issues to elections. It’s about bridging the gap between raw data and lived experiences.

I am inspired by the work of The Outlier, which consistently presents innovative yet accessible projects and stories for everyday Africans. I am also very inspired by the work of upcoming African-centred organisations, such as Preamble and Code for Africa.

Looking ahead, I see many opportunities for growth and transformation. I hope to continue using data as a tool for accountability and to tell stories that need to be heard across the continent.

Mischka Moosa is a data journalist at Good Governance Africa. Her work focuses on empowering citizens by making complex issues accessible. This piece was produced as part of the Class of 2024 Narratives, a segment that captures the cohorts’ opinions.

There is a common misconception that a ‘data story’ is simply one that includes data. In truth, data stories are far richer than that. I often report on data-heavy stories, such as those involving statistics on the government’s spend on social grants in South Africa. These benefit tremendously from visualisation with charts, diagrams and maps helping to make complex data relatable and digestible. It allows the reader to grasp the meaning and impact of the story quickly.

Before joining the African Data Journalism Academy, I had had no formal training in data journalism but I knew that developing these skills was essential in today’s technologically driven world. The knowledge I’ve gained through the academy has improved my reporting and is giving me the skills and tools to navigate a rapidly changing media landscape.

Throughout the course, I have sharpened my technical skills, particularly in using Excel and Google Sheets. These tools have become indispensable in my work with data. The academy’s bootcamp in July was intense but it helped me master spreadsheets and pivot tables, and showed me how to use platforms such as Flourish and Datawrapper to create charts. I also learnt where to find reliable datasets and how to ‘clean’ them.

What stands out most is the change in my approach to data storytelling. Instead of simply repeating data from official reports, I now look for the original sources, which allows me to construct my own narratives based on the data. I’ve also become more critical, asking questions such as what is the data really telling me? What do I know? What still needs to be explored?

Data from government sources is often presented in formats that are not user-friendly. The shortcuts and tools I’m learning are significantly streamlining my processes of working with data and improving the quality of my stories. Data scraping and tools like Google Pinpoint help me extract information from tables – even when they’re in PDFs – into clean, usable data, ready for visualisation. I’ve also been learning to use platforms such as Humdata which provide access to geographical information. I now know how to use this information to create maps with Mapshaper and Datawrapper, allowing me to include a visual of the country, city or municipalities I’m reporting on.

One surprising but essential lesson has been understanding the different types of color blindness. I now carefully consider accessibility when designing charts and maps, using tools like ColorBrewer to choose effective and inclusive color palettes.

A simple yet effective practice I’ve adopted is keeping a data diary. This habit has streamlined my workflow, making it easier to format data and consistently produce high-quality visualisations.

Ultimately, data journalism goes far beyond presenting numbers — it’s about building a narrative that connects with your audience, bringing the data to life in a way that’s both meaningful and engaging.

I was also previously unaware of the different types of colour blindness, but this is an essential consideration when designing maps and charts. Tools such as Colorbrewer are helpful when choosing accessible and inclusive colour palettes.

A simple yet effective practice I have adopted is keeping a data diary. This helps me replicate the process of formatting data and creating charts.

Putting together a data story goes beyond presenting numbers. It’s about creating a narrative that brings numbers to life, connecting with the audience and making the data meaningful.

Marecia Damons is an author and award-winning journalist with Cape Town-based GroundUp News. This piece was produced as part of the Class of 2024 Narratives, a segment that captures the cohorts’ opinions.

As a data journalist with almost a decade of experience in Nigeria, my journey into this field has been shaped by a deep-rooted passion for uncovering the stories hidden within numbers. With a background in statistics and parents who work in media, I have found myself naturally drawn to data journalism.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by discussions about current events and the impact of the media. My interest in data was sparked during my time at university, where I studied statistics. I realised that numbers are not just abstract figures; they represent real lives, real stories and real issues that need to be addressed.

Combining this with my exposure to the media and journalism, I saw an opportunity to use my statistical knowledge to tell impactful stories that could help drive change.
My path has been both challenging and rewarding. Every story I work on is an opportunity to shed light on important issues and contribute to a better informed society. As data journalism continues to evolve, I am excited to see how it will shape the future of journalism in Nigeria and beyond.

In a region where information is often scarce and hard to verify, data journalism plays a critical role in ensuring that the public has access to accurate and reliable information. It is a field that requires not just technical skills, but also a deep commitment to truth and accountability. The state of data journalism in West Africa is still in its developmental stages, but it is rapidly growing. In Nigeria, the need for transparency and accountability in governance is driving data-driven reporting. Journalists use data to uncover corruption, highlight inefficiencies and bring attention to social issues that might otherwise be overlooked.

But, access to reliable data remains one of the biggest hurdles. Many government agencies and institutions are reluctant to release data and, when they do, it is often incomplete or outdated.

There is also a general lack of data literacy among journalists, which hampers the ability to analyse and interpret complex datasets.

There are, however, pockets of excellence emerging across the region. Organisations such as the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Dataphyte, Premium Times, The Cable and others are leading the charge in promoting data journalism. The African Data Journalism Academy is also offering journalists like myself the opportunity to enhance and strengthen my skills.

Damilola Ojetunde is a data journalist with the BBC Africa Digital Content Hub.

When I saw a call for the African Data Journalism Academy on my Twitter feed in April, I instantly decided to apply. But this was open to journalists all over Africa! What were the odds of me being selected? Applying felt like throwing a stone in the ocean!

I had fallen in love with data journalism in 2021 when I was still at university, but I had never done anything that impressed me. Fast forward to June 2024 when I was selected to join the academy’s class of 2024!

We began our online classes in July. The introduction to data journalism was amazing. Laura Grant, who led the training, broke down every little thing, even the things you thought were self-explanatory. She skipped nothing and we can rewind and pause her teaching videos at any time. This is a big help to me as a studying and working adult.

Ever been in the situation where the maths teacher has taught you simple addition but in the exam, the question involves a whole breakdown of the Bodmas theory? Not here. No prize for guessing who was on a call with Laura the other day about data journalism. 

During the five-day bootcamp in Johannesburg, we learnt that the devil is in the details. Thorough, intensive and very educational, I think I had a whole lot of ‘whoa!’ moments.

I was surrounded by like-minded individuals, all equally passionate and driven. The bootcamp sessions provided opportunities  for deep connections and collaboration. I learned as much from my peers as I did from the facilitators, Laura and Alastair Otter, and  I began to realise my potential in this field.

Until the bootcamp I did not know that I should document my processes in a data diary, a safe place to keep all your analyses and formatting. Goodbye to the moments of panic whenever I had to repeat an entire process because I had accidentally deleted a vital column. Unlike in the past when I would get frustrated and just drop an entire visualisation, I can, with the skills learnt during the bootcamp, now easily trace my steps back.

My most significant moment of the bootcamp must have been when I learnt that I could scrape data from a PDF. If you have worked with PDFs, you will know the stress of having to manually input figures from tables.

Another exciting moment was when I realised that I have been overusing my favourite visualisation: the pie chart. I have learnt how and when it is appropriate to use pie charts.

Looking back, I realise how each step of the academy journey is helping shape me and my career. I feel more confident and equipped with the skills to tackle the complex issues I care about. This path has been one of growth – not just professionally but personally as well.

Hellen Kabahukya is a reporter at Solutions Now Africa and is based in Kampala, Uganda

Eleven journalists from six African countries met in Johannesburg from 29 July to 2 August 2024 for the first bootcamp of the African Data Journalism Academy, a programme that will run until November. The bootcamp, facilitated by Media Hack Collective’s Alastair Otter and Laura Grant, kicked off with an introduction to using data in journalism. Designed as a mix of theoretical and practical exercises, the five-day bootcamp extended to areas such as telling data stories, data visualization and making maps.

Guest speakers like News24 journalists Jeff Wicks and Kyle Cowan shared a case study, leaning on their data-driven work. Their presentation brought to the fore data analyses and visualization and exhibited how journalists, regardless of budgets, can deliver insightful, in-depth and aesthetically impressive articles.

Like the News24 journalists, InfoNile co-founder Fredrick Mugira cited some freely available online resources. Mugira, who joined the bootcamp virtually from Kampala, shared examples from the Great Lakes to discuss the links between data journalism and water and environmental reporting.

Google News Lab’s Ken Kiunga, took the participants through Pinpoint, a research tool used to sift through large documents. The ‘scraping session’ was one of the highlights for participants such as Rapport’s Marizanne Kok and Angeline Ochieng from Nation Media, Kenya. They both said they had previously spent hours manually trawling through large documents for data.

“I was shocked to realise how much there is to data journalism,” said Ochieng. “I now have practical skills to do pivot tables, to go through big documents for data. Many reporters in Kenya do not know how to scrape so we stick to summaries”. The problem is not country-specific, with journalists from Botswana, Uganda and beyond also noting the lack of data-informed reporting.

Prof Vukosi Marivate from the University of Pretoria tackled data science for social change during a session that straddled AI, African languages and data. His session also focused on the implications of the dearth of indigenous languages on the Internet. Marivate also unmasked the ugly side of social media networks. The academic’s session was “insightful and interesting”, Jacinta Mutura, a journalist at Kenya’s Standard Media, said afterwards.

The African Data Journalism Academy gathered the full complement of 12 trainees for an introductory meeting on Monday, 15 July 2024.

The virtual meeting brought together the participants, mid-career journalists from 10 cities in six countries.

The five-month programme will culminate with the awarding to successful candidates of the advanced certificate in data journalism by MICT SETA, the relevant South African training authority.

Those 12 were chosen from a list of more than 100 applications from 23 countries.

The Class of 2024 is made up of the following journalists:

• Angeline Ochieng, Nation Media Group, Kenya,
• Damilola Ojetunde, BBC Africa, Nigeria,
• Daniel Steyn, GroundUp News, South Africa,
• Ephraim Modise, TechCabal, Botswana,
• Hellen Kabahukya, Solutions Now Africa, Uganda,
• Ibukun Oguntola, Nigeria Health Watch,
• Jacinta Mutura, Standard Media Group, Kenya,
• Josephine Okojie, BusinessDay, Nigeria,
• Marecia Damons, GroundUp News, South Africa,
• Marizanne Kok, Media24, South Africa,
• Mischka Moosa, Good Governance Africa, South Africa,
• Sally Nyakanyanga, Green Rising, etc (Independent), Zimbabwe

The trainees come on board with varied expertise and a combined experience of 94 years in journalism, research and related sectors. Last week, they offered their take on data journalism and discussed their expectations from the academy that will end in November with each participant producing a data journalism story.

The first of six modules kicked off last week and an intensive five-day in-person bootcamp will start on Monday, 29 July 2024.

The course is run in partnership with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism and is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.