What Centre For Journalism Innovation & Development does

Centre For Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) is a non-governmental, non-profit think tank headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria, that supports and empowers African media through research, media innovation, tool development, civic technology, capacity building, grant-making, and convening. Founded in 2014 as the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and rebranded to CJID in 2020, the organization operates across more than eight African countries — Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, Cameroon, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo — with regional offices in Accra, Abidjan, and Dakar, and a team of 60+ professionals.

CJID's platform-plus-initiatives architecture centers on six proprietary civic technology products: Dubawa (West Africa's leading indigenous fact-checking platform), DAIDAC (digital investigations and analytics for political and economic risk), Udeme (social accountability tracking of Zonal Intervention Projects), Campus Reporter (next-generation investigative journalist training), the Dubawa Audio Platform (AI-powered radio content monitoring at dubawa.ai), and the Press Attack Tracker (press freedom incident documentation). These are supplemented by 13 program initiatives spanning elections (MiNE), media freedom, gender, climate, health, extractives (NAREP), conflict and security, agriculture, and law and democracy. Technology capabilities include natural language processing for claim verification, anomaly detection for political and economic risk, and generative AI for audio analysis, developed in part through the Nigerian AI Collective incubator.

CJID operates as a grant-funded non-profit with no commercial pricing; all tools, training, and research are provided free to journalists, civil society, and citizens. Revenue is derived from grants and donations, with MacArthur Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), DFID/FCDO, and TikTok named as major funders. Distribution occurs through self-serve digital platforms, in-person training workshops, election observation deployments, grant disbursement to journalists, and coalition-led advocacy networks.

Name

Centre For Journalism Innovation & Development

Legal name

Centre For Journalism Innovation & Development

Website

https://thecjid.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CJID is a Nigerian non-profit think tank operating across West and Central Africa, delivering AI-enabled fact-checking (Dubawa), civic accountability platforms (DAIDAC, Udeme, Press Attack Tracker), investigative journalism training, and an AI Campus Network serving journalists, civil society, and youth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media Development Services

NAICS

Publishing Industries (513), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Government & Public Policy Publishing (Regulations, Gazettes, Legislative Tracking) (MPAJACAI), Legal & Governance Professional Development (EDAGANAK)

Keywords

• Fact-checking platforms
• Investigative journalism training
• Press freedom monitoring
• Civic technology tools
• Media literacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Abuja

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants and Donations: CJID is primarily funded through grants and donations from international foundations and development organizations. Major funders include MacArthur Foundation, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, among others. Funding supports programmatic work across journalism, accountability, AI, and democracy initiatives.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsored Programs: CJID receives sponsored funding from corporate partners for specific programs. TikTok provided $200,000 in ad credits through its AI Literacy Fund to support AI and media literacy initiatives, demonstrating corporate partnership as a revenue stream.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Centre for Journalism Innovation & Development (CJID) operates a portfolio of proprietary media technology platforms — including Dubawa (fact-checking), DAIDAC (digital investigations), UDEME (social accountability tracking), Campus Reporter (journalist training), Press Attack Tracker, and the AI-powered Dubawa Audio Platform — alongside capacity-building programs for journalists, civil society, and governments across West Africa. The organization functions as a think tank producing research, investigative reporting, and policy advocacy on media freedom, democratic accountability, AI governance, climate, health, and extractive industries.

Product overview

Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) is a technology and knowledge-producing think tank that operates as a platform-plus-initiatives architecture. The organization functions as a unified platform for African media support with distinct branded products and program initiatives. Core technology products include Dubawa (fact-checking platform), DAIDAC (intelligence and risk management), UDEME (social accountability tracking), Campus Reporter (journalism training), Dubawa Audio Platform (AI-powered audio analysis), and Press Attack Tracker (press freedom monitoring). These are complemented by program initiatives covering Law/Democracy/Journalism, Elections, AI Campus Network, Media Freedom, Gender, Agriculture, Climate Change, Conflict/Security/Human Rights, Health Reporting, and Natural Resources/Extractives. The organization also operates CJID Radio and Leaks.ng for collaborative investigations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dubawa: Foremost indigenous fact-checking, verification and media literacy platform to combat disinformation, misinformation and other forms of information disorder.
• DAIDAC
• Udeme
• Campus Reporter
• Dubawa Audio Platform
• Press Attack Tracker
• AI Campus Network

Products and services

• Dubawa Foremost indigenous fact-checking, verification and media literacy platform to combat disinformation, misinformation and other forms of information disorder across West Africa. Used by journalists, media professionals, and the public.
• DAIDAC (Digital Investigations and Analytics Centre) Digital Analysis and Investigation Database for Democratic Accountability that collects, analyses, and disseminates information to support intelligence gathering, political and economic risk management, and evidence-based decision-making.
• UDEME Social accountability project that tracks Zonal Intervention Projects and constituency projects across Nigeria and West Africa, enabling citizens to hold government accountable on how development funds are spent.
• Campus Reporter Platform that trains and builds cohorts of the next generation of investigative journalists and media innovators across West African higher institutions.
• Dubawa Audio Platform AI-powered audio platform for analysing audio files, particularly for monitoring radio shows in Africa to detect misinformation and track media content.
• Press Attack Tracker Platform that tracks and reports attacks on the Press in Nigeria, documenting violations against journalists and newsrooms across West Africa.
• AI Campus Network Initiative to train 10,000 young Africans in artificial intelligence, digital technology, and media technology by 2030, including coding bootcamps, learning hubs, mentorship, and industry internships.
• CJID Radio Radio programming initiative that extends CJID's media reach and programming across audio platforms, covering journalism, democracy, and development issues.
• Leaks.ng Collaborative investigative journalism platform facilitating cross-border investigative reporting and whistleblower submissions across West Africa.
• Media in National Elections (MiNE) Multi-faceted approach to electoral accountability through professional reporting, strategic collaboration, election observation, and policy research; deployed 293 observers across national and sub-national elections.
• Law, Democracy and Journalism (LDJ) Transparency and accountability initiative examining the intersection of law and democracy through journalistic inquiry, focusing on judicial accountability and journalist protection.
• Media Freedom Project Initiative safeguarding and promoting freedom of expression and press across Anglophone West Africa through advocacy, research, civic technology, capacity building, and psychosocial support for journalists.
• Media in Gender Project Project highlighting the intersection between media and gender issues, advancing gender perspectives in media coverage and promoting gender equality in newsroom leadership.
• Conflict, Security, and Human Rights (CSHR) Project addressing the interplay between conflict dynamics, security challenges, and human rights violations across West Africa and the Sahel region.
• Health Reporting Project

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 journalists, researchers, civil society practitioners, and government officials trained, producing over 1,000 reports and 7 policy briefs published across 30+ news agencies and development platforms.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Google Developer Groups on Campus (GDG on Campus)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJID partnered with Google Developer Groups on Campus for the launch of its AI Campus Network at the University of Lagos. This partnership supports coding bootcamps, learning hub development, and AI skills training for students, providing technical mentorship and industry connections.
• Nigerian Ministry of Communications and Digital EconomyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJID has collaborated with the Nigerian Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy on AI literacy programmes and policy discourse, contributing to national AI governance frameworks.
• Premium TimescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJID was originally founded as the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) in 2014 and maintains close institutional ties with Premium Times. Dapo Olorunyomi serves as publisher of Premium Times and CEO of CJID. The organizations share staff, mission, and investigative journalism capacity.
• Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRGI collaborated with Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and BudgIT Foundation alongside CJID to convene a national dialogue on methane emissions reduction and energy transition in Nigeria's gas expansion plans.
• BudgIT FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBudgIT Foundation partnered with CJID and NRGI on methane emissions reduction stakeholder engagement and energy transition dialogue in Nigeria.
• Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and FIDAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJID collaborates with the Nigerian Bar Association and FIDA (International Federation of Women Lawyers) to explore legal means for protecting journalists and advancing press freedom through the Law, Democracy and Journalism (LDJ) project.
• Nigerian Elections Observation Network (NEON)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJID partners with NEON and other CSO coalitions for election observation and monitoring activities across Nigeria.
• UNESCOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAkintunde Babatunde serves as a UNESCO MIL (Media and Information Literacy) Ambassador, and CJID works with UNESCO on media literacy initiatives across Africa.
• DataphyteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDataphyte (CEO Joshua Olufemi) participated in and partnered with CJID at WAJIC23, contributing to discussions on tackling media challenges in Africa.
• CJID Board and Partner Organizations (Logo Display)minorOthersCJID's homepage displays logos of numerous partner organizations supporting its work, including OSIWA, MacArthur Foundation, Gates Foundation, and other development organizations. While specific names beyond those mentioned in text are not individually labeled, the partner logo section indicates a broad network of institutional supporters.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Internews: Internews is a large, established international media development NGO operating in 100+ countries. It is a broader incumbent in the same media development and information ecosystem strengthening space as CJID, with overlapping donor relationships and overlapping programmatic verticals (press freedom, fact-checking, civic tech).
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): RSF is the leading global press freedom organization with regional operations across Africa. It overlaps with CJID's Media Freedom Project and Press Attack Tracker work on press freedom documentation and journalist safety, though RSF is advocacy-focused rather than a journalism training/civic-tech operator.
• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): CPJ is a global press freedom organization that awarded CJID CEO Dapo Olorunyomi its 2020 International Human Rights Award. It operates overlapping press freedom advocacy and journalist safety programs with CJID's Media Freedom Project, though at a global rather than West Africa-focused scope.
• BBC Media Action: BBC Media Action is the BBC's international development charity, working on media development, governance, and civic engagement in low- and middle-income countries including across West Africa. It is a larger, more resourced incumbent in the same media-for-development space as CJID.

Direct peers

• Premium Times: Premium Times is Nigeria's leading investigative news platform, founded by CJID CEO Dapo Olorunyomi. It is the institutional sibling of CJID (originally PTCIJ was Premium Times' journalism arm), sharing staff and mission; the two organizations are deeply intertwined operationally and editorially.
• Africa Check: Africa Check is the pioneering indigenous fact-checking organization in Africa and a co-beneficiary alongside CJID of TikTok's AI Literacy Fund. It directly competes with CJID's flagship Dubawa platform for fact-checking market leadership, donor funding, and journalist training partnerships across the continent.
• Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ): WSCIJ is a Nigerian investigative journalism organization founded by CJID CEO Dapo Olorunyomi in 1995. It is a direct peer in the Nigerian investigative journalism and press freedom space, and shares founder lineage, donor pool, and training audience with CJID.
• Meedan: Meedan is a technology nonprofit that builds verification and fact-checking software (Check) used by newsrooms globally. It is a direct peer to CJID on the technology infrastructure side of fact-checking, and is part of the broader International Fact-Checking Network ecosystem in which Dubawa participates.
• Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN): GIJN is the international network of investigative journalism organizations, of which CJID (via its PTCIJ legacy) is a member. It is a direct peer in investigative journalism capacity building, training, and cross-border investigation support, including the Leaks.ng-style collaborative investigation model.
• Code for Africa: Code for Africa is a continent-wide civic technology and data journalism organization operating across multiple African countries. It is the closest functional peer to CJID, sharing the same combination of investigative journalism, civic technology tools, and accountability data infrastructure, and competes for similar foundation funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CJIDAfrica
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@centreforjournalisminnovat3341
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCJID
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thecjid
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecjid

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centre For Journalism Innovation & Development