April 18, 2023
Nigeria: Has Unemployment in Nigeria Risen Fourfold Since 2015? On the Trail of a Cabinet Minister's Claim
Nigeria's labour and productivity minister Chris Ngige is blaming the country's high unemployment on its economic woes since 2015. But is he right about the scale of the problem? Read more »
Kenya: Did Kenyan Opposition Leader Raila Odinga Apologise to President William Ruto for Demonstrations in 2023? No, Video Shows Event in 2018
IN SHORT: With the two leading candidates in Kenya's 2022 general election still at loggerheads, an apology from one of them, as claimed in a video on social media, would be… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigerian Politician Shared Doctored Picture As False Evidence the Government Helped Free Opposition Leader Peter Obi From Detention in the UK
IN SHORT: Claims are circulating online that the Nigerian government played a role in the release of a presidential candidate from detention in the UK. But the photo offered as… Read more »
Nigeria: No, Nigeria Customs Service Isn't Recruiting, Ignore Fake Online Posts
IN SHORT: Several Facebook posts claim to help you get a job with Nigeria's customs service. They are false, a spokesperson said. Read more »
April 13, 2023
Kenya: Kenyan Lawmaker Linet Chepkorir Didn't Say Kenyan Government Will Print More Money to Pay Civil Servants and Settle Debts
IN SHORT: Many Kenyans are having to count their shillings and cents and civil servants are facing salary delays. But Bomet county women rep Linet Toto didn't suggest the… Read more »
April 12, 2023
Nigeria: No, Nigerian Presidential Candidate Peter Obi Hasn't Congratulated President-Elect Bola Tinubu On His Victory
IN SHORT: Nigeria's Labour Party leader Peter Obi hasn't accepted the 25 February 2023 presidential election and congratulated president elect Bola Tinubu. Social media posts are… Read more »
April 06, 2023
Nigeria: Nigeria's Electoral Body Says Viral Video Doesn't Show an Attack On Its Chair's House
IN SHORT: A video is being shared on social media with the claim it shows youths in northern Nigeria, angry at the outcome of the presidential election, attacking the home of the… Read more »
April 04, 2023
Africa: A Cloudy Outlook? What We Are Learning About Election Disinformation in Africa and What You Can Do About It
As nearly a dozen countries in the region prepare to hold presidential elections, the spread of disinformation is inflaming the continent's political landscape. Will facts prevail… Read more »
March 31, 2023
Nigeria: No, Electoral Commission Website Wasn't Hacked By 'Russian Boy' Who Released 'Authentic' Poll Results
IN SHORT: Despite persistent rumours on social media, there's no evidence that the Nigerian electoral commission's website has been hacked or that the results released by a Russian… Read more »
March 30, 2023
Tanzania: Tanzanian President Makes Undiplomatic Remark About Kenyan Deputy President? No, Graphic Fabricated
IN SHORT: There is a trend of fake news graphics being shared on social media. One such graphic purports to quote Tanzanian leader Samia Saluhu dismissing Kenya's deputy president… Read more »
Kenya: Beware of Facebook Page Impersonating Kenyan Opposition Leader Raila Odinga
IN SHORT: As Kenyans grapple with disruptive protests, a Facebook page has been making inflammatory statements in the name of Raila Odinga. It is not the opposition leader's… Read more »
Nigeria: No Evidence South African Opposition Leader Julius Malema Called for Nigeria's Break-Up
IN SHORT: The result of Nigeria's presidential election is being challenged in court. But the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema, did not suggest the country… Read more »
March 29, 2023
Nigeria: U.S. Lawyer Off the Mark With 10% Claim About Nigeria's Presidential Election Result
IN SHORT: Because Bola Tinubu got 8.79 million votes from the 87 million Nigerians who collected voter cards ahead of the February 2023 election, he only has a mandate from 10% of… Read more »
Kenya: No, Kenya's Tax Authority Has Not Increased Taxes On Popular Second-Hand Clothing in 2023
IN SHORT: Claims that the Kenya Revenue Authority has increased levies on used clothing recently flooded social media. But the authority says this is incorrect and the levies have… Read more »
Nigeria: No, UK Parliament Did Not Say Nigeria's Presidential Election Was Rigged
IN SHORT: The results of Nigeria's February 2023 presidential election are being challenged in court. But claims on social media that the UK parliament confirmed that the vote was… Read more »
March 22, 2023
South Africa: No, Video of South African Politician Ace Magashule Endorsing President Cyril Ramaphosa Is Not From March 2023 but From 3 Years Earlier
IN SHORT: The politics of the ruling African National Congress may at times appear topsy-turvy to South Africans, but this video does not show suspended member and former… Read more »
South Africa: Video of Large Group of Protesters From 2020, Not South African #nationalshutdown in March 2023
IN SHORT: A number of videos and photos were shared on social media in South Africa on 20 March, many claiming to show supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters taking to the… Read more »
March 18, 2023
Nigeria: No, the Governor of Nigeria's Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Has Not Lifted Ban On Popular Okada Motorcycle Taxis
IN SHORT: The governor of Lagos state has appeared to be busy in the run-up to the 18 March 2023 elections, in the hope of being re-elected. But it's not true he has unbanned okada… Read more »
March 15, 2023
Kenya: No Evidence Viral Photo Shows Egg Business Destroyed By Supporters of Kenyan Opposition Leader
IN SHORT: Soon after Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga suggested he would call for a boycott of certain products and services, to protest president William Ruto's government, a… Read more »
March 14, 2023
Nigeria: No, Nigeria's Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu Didn't Promise to Release Pro-Biafra Leader Nnamdi Kanu to the Igbo People If Re-Elected
IN SHORT: Ahead of Nigeria's governorship elections on 18 March 2023, social media posts are claiming that the Lagos governor has promised Igbos in the state that he will release… Read more »
March 07, 2023
South Africa: Debating the State of the Nation - South African MPs' Claims About Crime, Education, Service Delivery and More Scrutinised
Are only 4% of rapes reported in South Africa? Is 54% of water lost to leaks and poor infrastructure? We checked these and other claims made during the 2023 state of the nation… Read more »
Nigeria: No, Banking Exec Didn't Say His Bank Gave Nigeria's President-Elect Tinubu Millions of New Naira Notes
IN SHORT: Guaranty Trust Bank asked Nigerians to ignore social media posts that falsely quoted their group CEO saying the bank had given millions of naira in new notes to… Read more »
March 03, 2023
Nigeria: No, Nigeria's Lagos State Governor Didn't Invite Igbos to Dinner to Get Their Votes
IN SHORT: Politicians in Nigeria might still be scrambling to win votes ahead of the 11 March elections for governor, but there's no evidence the governor of Lagos state is holding… Read more »
February 28, 2023
Nigeria: No, Opposition Presidential Candidate Abubakar Hasn't Defeated Ruling APC in 'All Local Councils' in Nigeria's Osun State
IN SHORT: Osun state in southwest Nigeria has 30 local government areas, not 20. So the claim that PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar "won all 20 LGAs" to defeat his rival… Read more »
March 01, 2023
Kenya: A Third of Kenya's Budget Stolen? We Checked Former Senator's Claim About Much-Travelled Corruption Statistic
Have Kenyan government officials been claiming for more than 20 years that a third of the country's budget is lost to corruption? And does Kenya collect more revenue than Uganda,… Read more »