Stallion Times Media Services Limited, a publisher of an online news platform based in Kano, has trained media professionals to be able to analyze, interpret, and present information and data to the public more effectively. The training was aimed at broadening participants’ knowledge of data journalism
Mr. Charles Mbah, a seasoned Data Analyst and journalist who was one of the facilitators, emphasized the need for journalists to seek data when necessary and utilize it to hold leaders accountable. Charles emphasized that data journalism could help reduce misinformation and disinformation, stating that: “By collecting and analyzing data, journalists can offer readers a deeper understanding of complex issues and present information in a more digestible manner.”
He encouraged journalists to be receptive to learning and to enhance citizens’ access to accurate information and advised them to report facts using structured data as the cornerstone of storytelling while managing it objectively.
The Project Coordinator, Mr. Isiyaku Ahmed, who also serves as the Executive Director of Stallion Times, affirmed that all journalists must adhere to media standards, pointing out that these standards differentiate professionals from bloggers or media influencers. He said: “Media Standards encompass various aspects, including the code of ethics, press freedom, journalists’ responsibilities, and obligations.”
The data journalism training was carried out under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusion and Accountability (CMEDIA) Project, a multi-level intervention that supports media independence, improved transparency, accountability, and good governance in state and local governments with more public awareness on the need for accountability, and amplified marginalised voices. The three-year project is being implemented with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and is funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
