Spain Trains Nigerian Journalists On Fact-checking, Others

In an effort to combat disinformation and promote quality journalism, Spain has partnered with Nigeria’s Dubawa to train 35 Nigerian journalists in AI applications, digital cybersecurity, and disinformation debunking.

The training which took place from July 10 to 14, was organized by Casa África, the DG Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, the Embassy of Spain in Nigeria, and the Centre for Journalism Innovation & Development (CJID) of Nigeria.

During the training, two specialized trainers from Spanish media outlets Maldita.es and Newtral, shared their expertise with Dubawa fact-checkers and other journalists interested in fact-checking.

The courses focused on information verification, digital cybersecurity, and the use of AI tools to detect and debunk misinformation.

Casa África has been dedicated to combating stereotypes about the African continent for the past 15 years while supporting journalism as a crucial weapon against misinformation.

The Director-General of Casa África, José Clavell, said: “The organisation was proud to collaborate with Nigerians to strengthen the capacities of African journalists in fact-checking and digital security.”

“We believe that these skills are essential for quality journalism that can inform citizens and combat misinformation that can undermine democracy and human rights,” Clavell said.

He emphasized the importance of these skills in ensuring quality journalism, informing citizens, and safeguarding democracy and human rights.

Ambassador Juan Sell, present at the closing ceremony of the training, highlighted Spain’s commitment to supporting a free, independent, trustworthy, and competent media, both in Africa and globally.