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In today’s world, lies spread faster than the truth. False stories get clicks, shares, and attention long before anyone has the time to ask, “Is this even true?” Yet, every day, fact-checkers continue to show up, sourcing, studying, verifying, and setting the record straight. It is not an easy job; it is not always loud, but it continues to impact people’s lives.
The growing weight of misinformation
Fact-checking faces many challenges today. The internet is flooded with false content, from political claims to health misinformation to AI-generated videos that look very real… Many people are tired or unsure who to trust. Fact-checkers struggle with limited funding, and the pressure to do more with less continues to intensify.
Still, amid these challenges, fact-checking continues to prove that the truth matters. Each fact-check, each investigation, and each media literacy effort tells a story of why this work must continue.
How impact looks in real life
The real impact of fact-checking is mostly not measured in numbers. It is seen in the changes that occur after the truth comes out.
When DUBAWA’s copy editor, Simbiat Bakare, found out that women on Facebook are being lured into dangerous surrogacy deals. She wanted to understand what was really going on. So she began to investigate the online world of surrogacy in Nigeria, and what she found was heartbreaking. She didn’t imagine it would uncover a web of exploitation, misinformation, and silence. Many women were promised help; instead, they were exploited through online groups that hid behind fake kindness and profit.
Following the publication on leading Nigerian media platforms, including DUBAWA, Premium Times, and The Guardian, the investigation started conversations across Francophone and Anglophone Africa. These conversations led people to rethink their stance on surrogacy. The story inspired television and radio discussions on West Africa Democracy Radio, Wazobia FM, Abuja Info, Police Radio, and Trust Radio, where the conversation continued.
Beyond that, the piece inspired tangible change: Meta deleted nine surrogacy groups exploiting women and children, collectively hosting over 38,000 global members. Several surrogacy support groups also began self-regulating, removing commercial advertisements that promoted exploitation. The impact didn’t stop there. The report was recognised by the United Nations expert, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls, Reem Alsalem, amplifying the story. International and local groups then intensified their calls for the global ban of surrogacy.
Recall the Baba Aisha investigation, where DUBAWA’s editor, Kemi Busari, exposed a man known as “Baba Aisha” who marketed himself as a doctor and promised miracle cures for the sick and desperate? That investigation revealed a very different truth. Baba Aisha’s bold claims were false, and his bottles of herbal mixtures were harmful concoctions that endangered lives.
The story was heartbreaking, yet it unveiled an urgent public health crisis that could no longer be ignored.
Days after the story was published, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) swung into action. The agency launched an investigation, raided the production site, sealed off the building, arrested two individuals, and seized the deadly products. Within 24 hours, Baba Aisha, himself, the mastermind, was tracked, arrested, and detained.
Soon after, NAFDAC announced a nationwide mop-up to remove all traces of the concoction from circulation. The impact went even further when the Federal Ministry of Health pledged to create a dedicated department to oversee the activities of herbal practitioners in Nigeria and ensure safety.
Far away in Liberia, in the quiet outskirts of Monrovia, lies Whein Town, a community whose patience and resilience have been tested over time by its proximity to a mountain filled with waste. Families there have lived for years surrounded by refuse, smoke, and the constant threat of disease.
When Laymah Kolie, a researcher at DUBAWA, visited the community and revealed the stench and sight of the dumpsite, as well as the daily ordeal faced by community members during her investigation, it touched hearts and stirred action.
Shortly after publication, Senator Saah Joseph of Montserrado County convened a meeting with responsible agencies to address the plight of Whein Town residents. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) then initiated a detailed feasibility study to explore safer landfill management and environmental recovery. The ripple continued when the Mayor of Monrovia confirmed that the government had secured land in Chessmanburg, Bomi County, for relocating the dumpsite. For the first time in years, Whein Town’s residents could envision a future where the air is cleaner, and their children play without fear.
Beyond the investigative pieces, we have also seen an impact on the people we train at DUBAWA. Through workshops and fellowships, journalists across West Africa have learned to spot false information, verify claims, and teach others to do the same. With tools like the DUBAWA Audio platform and our fact-checking chatbot, we’re using technology to make truth easier to access.
Fact-checking may not always make headlines or top social media trends or topics, but its quiet wins matter. Each deleted post (as seen here, here, and here), each corrected claim (as documented here, here, and here), and each person who pauses to verify before sharing these moments are victories for truth.
They show that truth still finds its way to emerge even when falsehood spreads faster. And that’s why fact-checkers keep going!
