PRNigeria Fact‑Checker Bags BRIDJE Fellowship for Climate and Energy Reporting
The Head of Fact-Checking at PRNigeria, Mohammed Dahiru Lawal, has been selected for the prestigious Better Research Integration for Democratising Journalism on Energy (BRIDJE) Fellowship, a United Kingdom-linked programme designed to strengthen evidence-based journalism on climate change, energy transition and information integrity.
The fellowship is implemented by the University of Birmingham, in partnership with Surge Africa, under the Climate Reporting Gap Initiative (CRGI). It brings together journalists and academic researchers to enhance public-interest reporting by translating complex scientific research into accessible, impactful journalism.
Lawal emerged successful after a highly competitive selection process that attracted journalists from across Africa seeking to deepen their expertise in reporting on climate action, sustainable energy, environmental governance and the growing challenge of misinformation.
Reacting to his selection, Lawal described the fellowship as a major milestone in his journalism career and an opportunity to strengthen the quality of climate and energy reporting in Nigeria.
“This fellowship comes at a critical time when climate change, energy transition and information disorder are shaping public discourse and policy decisions across Africa. It offers a unique opportunity to work closely with researchers, strengthen evidence-based journalism and produce stories that enable citizens to make informed decisions,” he said.
Read Also:
According to the organisers, the BRIDJE Fellowship seeks to bridge the longstanding gap between academic research and journalism by equipping media professionals with the skills and networks needed to communicate scientific findings accurately and effectively to the public.
The programme also aims to promote informed public conversations around energy transition, climate resilience, environmental sustainability and development through collaborative, research-driven storytelling.
Lawal is widely recognised for his work in fact-checking, open-source intelligence (OSINT) investigations and digital verification. As Head of Fact-Checking at PRNigeria, he has led several high-impact investigations exposing misinformation, disinformation and manipulated online content while promoting media literacy and accountability journalism.
His selection is expected to further enhance his expertise in climate and energy reporting, enabling him to apply research-based approaches to stories on environmental governance, renewable energy, public policy and information integrity.
The BRIDJE Fellowship forms part of the Climate Reporting Gap Initiative established by the University of Birmingham—one of the United Kingdom’s leading research institutions—and Surge Africa, a policy and resilience-focused organisation committed to strengthening evidence-based policy engagement and public communication across Africa.
Commenting on the achievement, PRNigeria Editor-in-Chief, Yushau Shuaib, described the selection as another recognition of the media organisation’s commitment to excellence in journalism, fact-checking and public-interest reporting.
Shuaib expressed confidence that the fellowship would further strengthen PRNigeria‘s capacity in climate communication, investigative journalism and digital verification, while contributing to innovative, solutions-driven reporting on climate change, energy transition and sustainable development in Nigeria and across Africa.
By PRNigeria
