Africa Check
Kenyan leaders throw big tea party, but don’t serve the facts
28th March 2025 On 18 March 2025, the Kenyan government published president William Ruto’s mid-term scorecard, tracking progress on his election promises. It... →
Strong only on paper? Fact-checking Angie Motshekga’s claim about South Africa’s military might
27th March 2025 In March 2025, the Southern African Development Community said it would start gradually pulling troops out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo... →
Fact-checking healthcare influencer’s claims about Nigeria’s HIV stats
24th March 2025 US aid freezes under president Donald Trump have upended healthcare in dependent countries around the world. The cuts have affected the President’s... →
Do South Africa’s parliamentary cleaners earn R30,000 per month?
19th March 2025 In February 2025, the Democratic Alliance (DA), which is part of the coalition government in South Africa, presented its take on a budget to help... →
EXPLAINER: What South Africa’s Expropriation Act does and doesn’t allow
13th March 2025 Tensions between South Africa and the new US administration have made headlines in the early weeks of 2025. Early in February, US president... →
Pan-African scholar PLO Lumumba is correct – the African Union is ‘over 70% funded by outsiders’
26th February 2025 The African Union (AU) is a group of 55 African countries, with the African Union Commission (AUC) as its administrative arm. On 15 February 2025,... →
Fact-checking South Africa’s lawmakers as they debated the state of the nation
21st February 2025 In February 2025, South African parliamentarians debated president Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address (Sona). While some criticised and... →
The World Health Organization’s pandemic accord
18th February 2025 The Covid pandemic was one of the biggest public health crises in modern times. Concerned that the world was unprepared for the next pandemic, the... →
‘Navigating rapid change’: verifying South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2025 state of the nation address
7th February 2025 South African president Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the first state of the nation address under the government of national unity, in which he called... →
Fact-checking former minister Osita Chidoka's claims on Nigeria's 2025 budget, debt and policing
30th January 2025 Well-known Nigerian politician, public servant and administrator Osita Chidoka is a sought-after voice on national issues. In a January 2025 TV... →
EXPLAINER: The controversy surrounding South Africa’s Bela Act
28th January 2025 As schools across South Africa settle into the 2025 academic year, a new education law remains the subject of much debate and controversy. The... →
No, ‘Detty December’ remittances in Nigeria did not equal 4% of the country’s GDP, as claimed by former governor
27th January 2025 The former governor of Nigeria's Lagos state Babatunde Raji Fashola was among the dignitaries who addressed new graduates of the University of... →
In Kenya in 2025, five disinformation trends are already unfolding
21st January 2025 Kenya will see a number of national campaigns and events in 2025, many of which are already causing controversy and muddying public debate. These... →
#NamibiaElections2024: Fact-checking opposition Popular Democratic Movement manifesto
26th November 2024 The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), Namibia's official opposition party, launched its election manifesto in August 2024. In the 2019 general... →
MFWA, Dubawa and Ghana Fact establish Ghana Fact-checking Coalition ahead of December elections
21st November 2024 The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Dubawa, FactSpace West Africa and other civil society organisations working on information hygiene,... →
#OndoDecides2024: Fact-checking debate claims made by the two main candidates for the governor’s office
14th November 2024 Nigeria’s Ondo state goes to the polls on 16 November 2024 to elect a governor, with incumbent Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress... →
Hit or miss? Fact-checking former lawmaker Dakuku Peterside's statistics advising Nigeria's new education minister
12th November 2024 Nigeria's new education minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, is still getting used to the job after being appointed on 24 October 2024 following a cabinet... →
Did former governor Uduaghan ‘remarkably’ cut infant mortality in Nigeria’s Delta state by more than half, as glowing column claims?
5th November 2024 In a glowing column for the Nigerian newspaper This Day, Chike Ogeah, a former Delta state commissioner, praised the health record of former... →
50 fact-checking organisations in Africa sign pact on information integrity
1st November 2024 Fifty fact-checking organisations in Africa, with a presence in at least 30 countries, have signed a declaration to work together to tackle harmful... →
Missed call: Fact-checking Kenya’s overshadowed 2024 state of devolution address
25th October 2024 In early October 2024, the Kenyan political arena erupted with a spectacular falling-out between president William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi... →
No, photo of Somali man with gun not taken in South Africa
22nd October 2024 IN SHORT: A widely shared image of a man with a machine gun has been used to stoke xenophobic tensions in South Africa multiple times, including by... →
EXPLAINER: How Nigeria can become vaccine-independent
9th October 2024 Africa's dependence on imported vaccines was starkly illustrated by the Covid pandemic. But faced with recurrent outbreaks of diseases ranging... →
Fact-checking president Tinubu's claims about Nigeria's economic successes in his Independence Day speech
4th October 2024 On 1 October 2024, Nigeria’s president Bola Tinubu addressed the nation in a speech to mark the 64th anniversary of Nigeria's independence. The... →
As Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja paints rosy picture of his two years in office, we fact-checked claims on revenue, city debt and water supply
26th September 2024 On 16 September 2024, Kenyan newspaper the Star published an interview with a “bullish” Nairobi governor, Johnson Sakaja, about his two years in... →
Indian billionaire Adani is eyeing Kenya’s main airport, and the govt is backing the deal. But are the official talking points factual?
20th September 2024 On 11 September 2024, Kenya's main Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or JKIA, was grounded for a day as aviation workers went on strike. The... →
EXPLAINER: What you need to know about the upcoming off-cycle elections in Nigeria's Edo and Ondo states
13th September 2024 Dates have been announced for two of Nigeria’s eight off-cycle state elections. The first will be held in Edo state in the south-south... →
Kenya's new finance minister has surprising numbers about public debt, loans, sugar demand and VAT
30th August 2024 Long-time opposition politician John Mbadi was appointed Kenya’s new finance minister on 7 August 2024. Before his appointment, Mbadi was a fierce... →
Mpox is once again a ‘public health emergency’. What you need to know
29th August 2024 Mpox is a viral disease with a distinctive rash and can be fatal. A global outbreak of the disease that began in 2022 is still ongoing, with... →
The challenge ahead: Fact-checking South Africa’s new lawmakers as parliament kicks off
13th August 2024 Following a historic election, president Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the opening of parliament address on 18 July 2024, marking the start of the... →
Verifying claims by Bola Tinubu’s media team amid #EndBadGoverance protests in Nigeria
8th August 2024 The Nigerian government, led by president Bola Tinubu, has taken several steps to stop the planned ten-day nationwide protests scheduled for 1 to... →
Expectations versus reality: The use of generative AI in South Africa's 2024 election
18th July 2024 By now you’ve heard that 2024 is the ultimate election year. With over 60 countries around the world heading to the polls, concerns about... →
Casting doubts and casting votes - the real-world effects of false election fraud claims
12th July 2024 South Africa’s May 2024 elections were widely acknowledged as pivotal for the country. After 30 years in power, the ruling African National... →
Kenya’s beleaguered president Ruto chose a live interview to defend his record, but did his claims add up?
4th July 2024 Under siege from young citizens furious over tax plans widely seen as punitive, police abductions and the killing of protesters, Kenyan president... →
As Kenyan president Ruto ticks off his to-do list from US state visit, we review some of his claims, including on peacekeeping
28th June 2024 On 24 June 2024, US president Joe Biden formally designated Kenya a “major” ally in defence and security, a status almost identical to that enjoyed... →
Do almost half of Nigerians suffer multiple forms of poverty? Fact-checking columnist’s claims
19th June 2024 Nigerians have been struggling with the high cost of living, with trade unions organising a nationwide strike to demand a higher minimum wage. As... →
Nigeria accounts for 28.5% of the world's maternal deaths, not 10% as claimed by campaign group
6th June 2024 In April 2024, the non-profit civil rights group Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) made a startling claim about maternal... →
Fact-checked: Six claims by Kenya’s deputy president on the cost of living
9th May 2024 In March 2024, Kenya’s deputy president Rigathi Gachagua spent time in his political backyard trying to quell simmering dissent over taxes on... →
Life under the DA in the Western Cape: fact-checking South African opposition party’s claims about governance
7th May 2024 The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s opposition party, has governed the Western Cape province since 2009. Ahead of national elections... →
Promises kept and broken in the African National Congress’ election manifestos: 2019 vs 2024
24th April 2024 South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), launched its 2024 election manifesto on 24 February. Under the slogan “Let’s do... →
State House ‘asking for a bigger budget than all of Kenya’s 47 counties’? Veteran politician Martha Karua’s numbers fall short
17th April 2024 Experienced Kenyan lawmaker Martha Karua was recently the first guest on a video podcast hosted by another veteran politician, former minister... →
As Kenyan president Ruto racks up the air miles, we fact-checked his talking points on taxes and education funding
11th April 2024 Kenyan president William Ruto has been visiting foreign capitals with a message to his compatriots abroad to invest at home. Ruto’s extensive... →
