Application Deadline: 06 March 2026
Submissions are currently being accepted for the 2026 fellowship cycle of the Code for Africa (CfA) African Academy for Open Source Investigation (AAOSI). This distinguished initiative by Code for Africa is set to award six fellowships aimed at mentoring journalists across selected African nations. The program’s core mission is to bolster democratic accountability, enhance digital resilience and security for pro-democracy civil society groups, protect digital technologies and online environments, and amplify youth participation in civic matters within safe digital spaces.
To achieve these objectives, the fellowship will train journalists affiliated with investigative media outlets and watchdog NGOs in advanced open-source intelligence (OSINT) and social media intelligence (SOCMINT) forensic analysis techniques. This skill set will empower them to develop rigorous, evidence-based reports. Additionally, the fellowship seeks to strengthen the integrity of information in participating countries by addressing challenges such as information manipulation and interference (IMI), coordinated inauthentic behavior (CIB), disinformation campaigns, hate speech, online harassment, propaganda, and the emerging threat posed by the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in contaminating information ecosystems.
Eligible Regions and Countries
Applications are invited from journalists based in the following African regions and countries:
- The Sahel Region: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, Senegal
- West Africa: Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, Togo
- East Africa: Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan
Who Can Apply?
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Reside in one of the specified African countries listed above.
- Have at least one year of professional experience in journalism, with a strong preference for those specializing in investigative or data journalism.
- Provide verifiable examples of recent published reports.
- Be affiliated with a media organization, digital news platform, or a relevant institution where they can publish work produced during the fellowship. This includes freelance journalists linked to such outlets.
- Commit to disseminating their investigative outputs through appropriate public channels. Where necessary, CfA will facilitate partnerships and syndication opportunities.
- Participate consistently in weekly online training sessions and mentorship throughout the fellowship period.
- Be willing to share newly acquired skills and insights with colleagues by presenting projects and investigative approaches internally within their organization.
- Be proficient in either English or French, the languages used for instruction and mentoring.
Details of the Fellowship Programme
The fellowship is designed to be hands-on and practical, with a focus on applying learned techniques to combat disinformation, challenge harmful narratives, and bolster digital security within participants' countries. The 2026 cohort, marking the second iteration of this program, will run over a four-month period and includes the following key components:
- Financial Assistance: Selected journalists will receive a monthly stipend to support related expenses and activities during the fellowship.
- Technical Training and Mentorship: Fellows will benefit from comprehensive technical instruction, followed by personalized mentorship from CfA’s team of data technologists, analysts, multimedia producers, and editors to refine their projects.
- Publishing and Distribution Support: Projects developed during the fellowship will be published on the journalists’ own media platforms, with additional support available to facilitate international publication.
- Reach Expansion: CfA will assist in amplifying the reach of fellows’ content, including syndication and scaling support for their affiliated organizations to maximize impact.
For further details and to submit an application, interested candidates should Visit the Official Webpage of the Code for Africa (CfA) African Academy for Open Source Investigation (AAOSI) Fellowships.
