AFP Wins Top Prize at Africa Fact Check Awards

Agence France-Presse reporter Samad Uthman has been awarded the prestigious Africa Fact-Checking Award for his groundbreaking investigation into AI-generated health misinformation in Nigeria.

Uthman, who operates from AFP’s bureau in Abuja, uncovered how artificial intelligence was used to create a fake persona of a Nigerian scientist promoting an unfounded “miracle cure” for heart disease. His meticulous reporting exposed the sophisticated methods being deployed to spread potentially dangerous health misinformation across digital platforms in Africa.

“The win is a testament to the effort we make at combating misinformation – at a time when AI-generated disinformation is moving faster and faster,” said Uthman, who joined AFP’s digital investigations team earlier this year.

The recognition comes at a critical moment when Africa, like many regions globally, faces mounting challenges from AI-generated content that can be difficult to distinguish from authentic information. Health misinformation has proven particularly problematic across the continent, where limited regulatory frameworks and varying levels of digital literacy can allow false medical claims to flourish unchecked.

The story highlighted how technological advances in generative AI have created new vectors for spreading false information, particularly concerning in sectors like healthcare where misinformation can have life-threatening consequences. Experts have noted that heart disease, which Uthman’s investigation focused on, is a growing health concern across Africa, making the public particularly vulnerable to fraudulent cure claims.

The award was presented during the 2025 Africa Facts Summit, which has become the continent’s premier gathering for fact-checkers, journalists, and information integrity specialists. This year’s summit placed particular emphasis on artificial intelligence, examining both its potential benefits for African media and the growing challenges it presents to information integrity across the continent.

This victory continues AFP’s strong tradition in fact-checking excellence on the continent. It marks the second time the international news agency has claimed the top honor at the Africa Fact-Checking Awards, following the 2023 win by Mary Kulundu and James Okong’o from AFP’s Nairobi bureau for their joint investigative report. AFP journalists have also secured silver medals in both 2022 and 2024, establishing the organization as a consistent leader in combating misinformation across Africa.

AFP’s growing investment in digital investigation capabilities across its African bureaus reflects the increasing complexity of the misinformation landscape. The agency has expanded its fact-checking operations significantly over the past five years, now operating dedicated verification teams in multiple African countries.

The Africa Fact-Checking Awards, organized by Africa Check, the continent’s first independent fact-checking organization, have gained prominence as misinformation challenges have grown. The competition attracts entries from journalists across the continent who have produced outstanding fact-checking reports on topics of public interest.

During the award ceremony, Patrick Markey, AFP’s editor-in-chief for Africa, was joined by Monique Mgo Mayag, a digital investigation journalist based in the agency’s Dakar bureau, highlighting the organization’s pan-African approach to tackling misinformation.

Media experts note that specialized investigative skills like those demonstrated in Uthman’s reporting will become increasingly crucial as AI technology advances. The ability to identify synthetic media, verify digital evidence, and trace the origins of AI-generated content has become an essential component of modern journalism in Africa and beyond.

The recognition underscores the vital role that rigorous journalism plays in maintaining information integrity across the continent, particularly as digital transformation accelerates and information ecosystems grow more complex.