The Youths Digest Campus Journalism Initiative has introduced a Fact-Checking Category for its 2025 Campus Journalism Awards (CJA), aiming to recognize student reporters who combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
The new category is a strategic move to emphasize the critical role of verification and integrity in journalism amid rising concerns over fake news and deepfakes.
Gidado Yushau Shuaib, founder of the Campus Journalism Awards and Dialogue, underscored the platform’s seven-year commitment to nurturing professionalism.
He urged student journalists to remain steadfast in truth, integrity, and innovation, assuring them that Youths Digest will continue to provide avenues for their excellence.
Shuaib used the announcement to also celebrate the recent achievement of alumnus Uthman Samad, a former CJA winner in investigative journalism. Samad, an AFP digital investigation reporter, won the prestigious “Fact Check of the Year” award in the professional fact-checker category at the Africa Facts Summit in Dakar, Senegal.
Samad was recognized for his investigation exposing how artificial intelligence (AI) was used to impersonate a Nigerian scientist in a misleading advertisement that promoted a false “miracle cure” for heart disease.
Shuaib described Samad’s win as a proud moment for young journalists worldwide. He recalled that Samad won the Campus Investigative Challenge in 2020 and later served on the screening committee for the 2024 edition, calling his career trajectory an inspiration for young reporters. The founder noted that the new Fact-Checking Category reflects the organization’s commitment to promoting excellence and credibility on Nigerian campuses.
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