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Silas Jonathan, the digital investigations manager for the Digital Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Information Disorder Analysis Centre (DAIDAC), has won the 2025 Michael Elliot Award for Excellence in African Storytelling for Nigeria.
The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) announced this via its official X handle @ICFJ.
“Announcing the 2025 winners of the Michael Elliott Award for Excellence in African Storytelling! Congratulations to @GodwinAsediba of Ghana and @Silas2Silas of Nigeria,” the X post reads.
Silas, who leads the DIDAC team under CJID, is an expert in media research, fact-checking, disinformation analysis, and Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT).
DAIDAC, a Project of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), focuses on the complex interplay between technology, AI, and information systems, particularly in the context of African societies and democracies.
His winning story “How Telegram, TikTok aided Russian disinformation that led to the incarceration of Nigerian minors was published on DUBAWA in November 2024.
This investigation followed DUBAWA’s observation during its #EndBadGovernance live fact-check in August 2024. We observed that in the North, the protest was dominated by Russian flags, which seemed out of place considering the protest’s purpose, which was to fight against the economic struggle and hardship faced by citizens.
This investigation dug into how foreign disinformation campaigns can influence African politics and society.
Reacting to this win, Silas, now the sixth Nigerian to win this award, said he is excited and believes the recognition cements the role of OSINT in Nigerian Journalism.
“I feel great. It is a career-changing award,” he said. “I think it is a big contribution to OSINT and a confirmation that OSINT has a place in journalism.”
Last year, DUBAWA’s editor, Kemi Busari, won this award with his “Baba Aisha” investigation.
The Elliott Award was established in 2016 in honour of former ICFJ board member Michael Elliott. Elliott was a top editor at The Economist, Newsweek, and Time before becoming CEO of ONE.
The Award aims to advance the careers of emerging journalists in Africa who work to strengthen people’s voices and improve their well-being. ICFJ sponsors the award in partnership with the ONE campaign.
