September 13, 2023
Nigeria: No, Chicago State University Hasn't Deleted Its 1979 Yearbook to Protect Nigerian President Bola Tinubu
IN SHORT: Bola Tinubu's academic qualifications have been questioned in a US court. But a claim that a video proves Chicago State University has deleted a record of the Nigerian… Read more »
Nigeria: No, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu Hasn't Set Date for Country's Much-Awaited Census
IN SHORT: Nigeria is due for a census, the last one being in 2006. But claims that the president has ordered the National Population Commission to conduct one in November 2023 are… Read more »
Niger: Russia's Wagner Mercenaries Landing in Niger? No, 'Breaking News' Video Shot in 2006
IN SHORT: Niger's coup leaders did reportedly ask Russia's Wagner mercenaries help them hold on to power. But a video circulating online with the claim it shows a planeload of… Read more »
Nigeria: No, President Bola Tinubu Didn't Inherit Nigeria's Highest Inflation Rate in 20 Years
As Tinubu marked 100 days in office, local and international media took stock of his administration's achievements. But a German publication's claim that Tinubu inherited the… Read more »
September 08, 2023
Nigeria: Opposition Leader Peter Obi Didn't Meet Nigerian President Bola Tinubu At His Residence. Ignore Manipulated Photo
IN SHORT: Facebook accounts are sharing images with the claim they show Peter Obi and Nigerian president Bola Tinubu meeting at his residence at Aso Rock in the capital Abuja. But… Read more »
September 07, 2023
Nigeria: No, Bola Tinubu Has Not Suspended Courts in Nigeria Over Fear of Disqualification As President
IN SHORT: Facebook posts claim that Nigerian president Bola Tinubu has suspended all courts in the country over fear of disqualification. But there are no news reports of this in… Read more »
September 06, 2023
Kenya: No, Photo Doesn't Show Opposition Leader Raila Odinga Representing Kenya in the UK As Peace Talks Continue
IN SHORT: Raila Odinga was in the UK for a week in August 2023 for business and personal reasons. However, a photograph purporting to show him in a bilateral meeting was taken in… Read more »
September 04, 2023
Kenya: No, Lang'ata MP Jalang'o Did Not Invite Facebook Users to Apply for a Job At His Home, Ignore Ad On Page With Huge Following
IN SHORT: A Facebook page inviting users to apply for a househelp job at Lang'ata MP's home is fake. Read more »
August 25, 2023
South Africa: #NationalConvention2024 - Fact-Checking Opposition Claims About Crime, Jobs and Voting in South Africa
As formations to unseat the ruling party ahead of the 2024 general elections begin to take shape, claims are being made about what the opposition says is the poor state of the… Read more »
August 23, 2023
South Africa: Is Poverty On the Decline in South Africa? We Fact-Checked Cyril Ramaphosa's ANC Claims
A number of sceptical readers asked us to take a closer look at pronouncements made by the president at the ANC's review of its manifesto. As we found, nuance also matters. Read more »
Kenya: Former Kenyan Governor Mike Sonko Not Giving Out Cash On Facebook, Ignore Imposter Page
IN SHORT: Former Nairobi county governor Mike Sonko is known for both his flamboyance and generosity. But this Facebook page offering money in his name is on a scamming spree. Read more »
August 18, 2023
Nigeria: No Evidence 2023 Presidential Election Runner-Up Obi Said He Could Fix Nigeria in a Month
IN SHORT: Nigeria's rising cost of living has sparked debate about the president's ability to deliver on his promises. But there's no evidence to support a claim that his rival… Read more »
Zimbabwe: Zim 2023 Election Watch - No Evidence for Claim That Election Commission Released a List of Ruling Party Candidates Nominated Late
IN SHORT: Social media posts claim that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) released a slate of 56 Zanu-PF candidates who submitted their nominations late. There is little… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu Calls for Rival Peter Obi to Be Disqualified in a Possible Election Rerun? No, Ignore Fabricated Quote
IN SHORT: Nigeria's presidential election petition tribunal has finished hearing the opposition's case against the electoral body. However, a Facebook post makes an unsubstantiated… Read more »
August 15, 2023
South Africa: Factsheet - Total Grid Collapse? Billions in Losses? We Answer 10 Questions About Load Shedding
Power outages affect livelihoods, the economy and have even claimed lives. Is South Africa approaching a grid failure? We unpack what that would look like and what the government… Read more »
Nigeria: No, Kogi Governor Bello Didn't Tell Nigerian President Tinubu to Not Interfere in State Elections. Ignore Fake Tweet
IN SHORT: Kogi governor Yahaya Bello lost to current president Bola Tinubu in the All Progressives Congress primaries. But he didn't tweet that he can't forgive Tinubu, telling the… Read more »
Kenya: Did a Popular Kenyan Blogger Say President William Ruto Was Exposing Opposition Leader Raila Odinga's Hunger for Power? No, Viral Tweet From Impostor Account
IN SHORT: The tweet in a screenshot says Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga will be exposed by the government for using protests as a means of obtaining power in the peace… Read more »
August 14, 2023
Nigeria: No, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe Has Not Been Shot and Killed. Ignore Rumours On Social Media
IN SHORT: Contrary to social media rumours, Enyinnaya Abaribe has not been shot dead at his home. Pictures claiming to show scenes of his murder are unrelated. Read more »
August 08, 2023
Kenya: No, Video Doesn't Show Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu's 'Secret Landing' in Kenya Over Political Crisis
IN SHORT: A clip has been posted online with claims that it shows Tanzania's president Suluhu's "secret landing" in Kenya to mediate political crisis talks in that country.… Read more »
August 04, 2023
Kenya: No Evidence Kenyan President Ruto Threatened to Arrest Those Who Call Him 'Zakayo' After the Biblical Tax Collector
IN SHORT: Captions to a TikTok video claim that Wiliam Ruto said anyone calling him "Zakayo" would be arrested and that it was better for Kenyans to sleep hungry, provided they… Read more »
August 03, 2023
Nigeria: No, Nigeria's Peter Obi Did Not Pose for Photo With Pro-Biafran Activist Simon Ekpa
IN SHORT: A photo posted on social media shows Peter Obi posing with Simon Ekpa, who's accused of sponsoring violence in southeast Nigeria. The photo is manipulated. Read more »
July 31, 2023
Kenya: Did Opposition-Affiliated Politician Junet Mohamed Admit They Lost Kenya's Presidential Election and Cast Doubt On the Effectiveness of Nationwide Protests? No, Quote Fabricated
IN SHORT: A quote attributed to Kenyan politician Junet Mohamed is doing the rounds on Facebook, claiming Mohamed has admitted that the Azimio coalition lost the elections and he… Read more »
Kenya: No, Former U.S. President Barack Obama Hasn't Admitted He Was Born in Kenya - Old Video Reappeared in 2023
IN SHORT: In the original 2009 video, the former US president talks to students in Turkey. The altered version from 2010 is a spoof. The 2023 clip is claimed as fact. But Barack… Read more »
July 27, 2023
Nigeria: No, Video Does Not Show Nigeria's Political Rivals Atiku Abubakar and Nyesom Wike Exchanging Cordial Greetings After 2023 Elections
IN SHORT: A video showing two rival Nigerian politicians greeting each other cordially at a public event circulated in July 2023, with the claim it showed them meeting for the… Read more »
Nigeria: No, Election Tribunal Hasn't Declared Peter Obi Winner of Nigeria's 2023 February Presidential Election
IN SHORT: Nigeria's election petition tribunal began hearing cases against the country's electoral commission in early May 2023. But claims that the tribunal has declared the… Read more »