NGO champions youth-led journalism for accountability
The Scoop Storytelling Initiative, a digital media platform, has ended its project on youth-led reporting for governance and accountability. The event, supported by the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund, drew a diverse crowd of fellows, media professionals, civil society organisations, and champions of press freedom. Declaring the programme open, Zainab Bala, the Team Lead behind The […]
The Scoop Storytelling Initiative, a digital media platform, has ended its project on youth-led reporting for governance and accountability.
The event, supported by the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund, drew a diverse crowd of fellows, media professionals, civil society organisations, and champions of press freedom.
Declaring the programme open, Zainab Bala, the Team Lead behind The Scoop, said: “We are not just reporting stories. We are shifting narratives, reclaiming truth, and amplifying voices that have long been ignored.”
Ibrahim Shehu, General Manager of Trust Television, praised the initiative, acknowledging the rise of digital media and the central role of youth in shaping impactful journalism in the digital era.
A significant highlight of the event was the unveiling of two flagship tools developed by The Scoop:
The Scoop Journalist Toolkit – a practical guide designed to help young reporters master ethical, data-driven governance reporting.
A Policy Brief – offering incisive analysis of Nigeria’s transparency laws, advocating reform, and reaffirming the press’s role in accountability.
But The Scoop’s work extends beyond publications. In the months leading up to the close-out, the team hosted hands-on capacity-building workshops in Kano, Lagos, and Abuja. Following the training, Fellows were selected for the fellowship component, and emerging journalists were connected with mentors and civic actors, fueling stories that exposed systemic failures and tackled corruption with courage.
At the event, the fellows stole the spotlight. They recounted powerful stories of their fieldwork, navigating gatekeepers, digging through limited data, and overcoming fear.
Abolade Oyeyemi Esther, one of the fellows, reflected on her growth: “As someone still learning the craft, the guidance I received helped me tell a deeply compelling story on injustice—something that truly means a lot to me.”
Dr Augustine Okere, Research and Project Lead, presented the initiative’s final “Bridging the Gap” report. It captured on-the-ground realities faced by journalists and civil society groups—from FOI Act bottlenecks to weak whistleblower protections—and offered tangible recommendations for reform.
Abdulsamad Ahmad Yusuf of the HumanAngle Foundation praised the initiative’s impact.
“You’ve stayed close to the ground,” he said. “You’ve empowered young journalists to tell the stories that matter with courage, care, and clarity. We at HumanAngle are proud to support this cause.”
The Nigerian Union of Journalists, Media Trust Limited, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, and Page Initiative were among the organisations present, underscoring a growing coalition of support for young media voices.