Africa's media ecosystem is rich in talent and creativity, yet many journalists and content creators face limited opportunities to collaborate across borders or engage with continental development processes. The AU Media Fellowship (AUMF) responds to this challenge by strengthening capacity, fostering collaboration, and enabling African storytellers to shape the continent's narrative from a pan-African perspective.
Following the call for applications launched last year, the AU Media Fellowship (AUMF) received an overwhelming response, with over 100,000 applications submitted from across the continent and the diaspora. This strong turnout reflected the depth of Africa's media talent and a shared commitment to advancing the continent's priorities through six thematic tracks aligned with Agenda 2063. The AU Information and Communication Directorate extends its sincere appreciation to all African journalists and content creators who applied for the AU Media Fellowship 3.0.
For the first time, the selection process began with an AI-powered review of all applications, supported by the AU Digital Tech Fellowship Programme, a youth empowerment initiative. The system was developed by three young African innovators, Stephen Amoakoh Donkor (Ghana), David Nzadon (Nigeria), and Haggaernesh Tadesse (Ethiopia). The AI tool analysed each applicant's pitch story, CV, reference letter, and biography, assessing relevance, quality, and alignment with the Fellowship's thematic areas, while also ensuring balanced representation across participating countries.
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Each application received a merit-based score ranging from 0% to 100%, reinforcing transparency, fairness, and equal opportunity. This was followed by a manual review conducted by independent experts and AU evaluators to shortlist candidates further. Finalists were then invited to panel interviews with AU officials, media leaders, and technical partners, after which the final selection was endorsed.
Mohamed Kimbugwe, Digital Governance and Innovation Advisor, also highlighted the contribution of the AU Digital Tech Fellowship Programme under the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, noting its role in demonstrating how African-led digital innovation can strengthen institutional processes and expand pathways for youth participation in continental development.
Over the 16-month programme, the cohort 3.0 Fellows will receive advanced training, personalised mentorship, and access to a continental and global network of peers and media leaders. Fellows will produce impactful, solutions-focused stories that challenge stereotypes, amplify African voices, and reflect the continent's realities and ambitions, directly contributing to the vision and goals of Agenda 2063.
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"The AU Media Fellowship continues to be a platform for Africa's brightest media talents to shape narratives that matter. This year, by harnessing the power of AI developed by young Africans, we are setting a new benchmark for fairness, transparency, and innovation in the selection process. I warmly congratulate the selected Fellows and look forward to officially announcing the 2026 cohort in February, as we prepare for the study tour scheduled to take place in March," said Wynne Musabayana, Head of AU Information and Communication.
