Deadline: September 14, 2025
The Nigeria AI Collective and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) are pleased to announce the launch of the AI in Journalism Incubator – Second Cohort. This initiative is designed to bring together technologists and media professionals to co-create AI-powered tools that address pressing challenges in journalism and media accountability across West Africa.
Building on the success of the first cohort, the Incubator will provide participants with the opportunity to work in teams, guided by expert mentors, to design and build functional products. Final prototypes will be showcased at the 2025 Media and Development Conference (MDC 2025) in Abuja, before an audience of media leaders, policymakers, and technology experts.
Benefits
- Dedicated mentor for each team
- Technical infrastructure and resources for product development
- Product development support per team
- Seed grant per team for scaling the product after the incubator
- Opportunities to showcase solutions at the Media and Development Conference 2025
Eligibility
Open to:
- Technologists: AI/ML developers, software engineers, data scientists, UX/UI designers, and product developers.
- Journalists / Researchers / Media Professionals: Fact-checkers, investigative journalists, and media researchers who will serve as subject matter experts within teams.
Selection Criteria
- Applicants must demonstrate expertise in at least one of the following areas: AI and Machine Learning, Software Development (Web, mobile or backend systems), User Experience and Product Design, Data Science and Data Engineering, Natural Language Processing, Journalism, Media Research or Fact-checking.
- Applicants must be available to fully participate in all incubator activities from September to November 2025
- Applicants must possess string interest in leveraging technology to address real-world challenges in media and journalism.
- Applicants must demonstrate problem-solving abilities.
Application
Selected participants must be available to fully participate in the incubator activities from September to November 2025, including weekly mentor check-ins and the final showcase in Abuja.
For more information, visit CJID AI in Journalism Incubator.
