Joey Off-Air Reporter Among 10 Selected for the Solutions Journalism West Africa Fellowship 

Ajifa Solomon, a student reporter with Joey Off-Air, has been selected as one of ten fellows for the Solutions Journalism West Africa Fellowship, a regional initiative aimed at strengthening the capacity of journalists to report on how communities are addressing social challenges.

Though open to reporters across the West African sub-region, this year’s cohort includes fellows from Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and The Gambia. The four-month programme will equip participants with the tools to produce in-depth, evidence-based reporting focused on solutions, particularly in the area of public health.

Ajifa was chosen from a pool of over 100 applicants

“I’m incredibly honoured to be selected for this fellowship. As someone passionate about community storytelling, I see this as a chance to elevate stories that don’t just dwell on problems but highlight how people are solving them. It’s an opportunity to learn, grow, and inspire better journalism,” she said.

“Solutions Journalism brings balance. A lot of times, the news focuses only on what’s not working, but people also need to hear what is. We need to ask better questions, look deeper, and share ideas that can make a difference. That is why this fellowship matters because it is shaping not just what we report, but how we report it,” Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director, Nigeria Health Watch, said in a statement seen by Joey Off-Air.

Ajifa is a final-year Mass Communication student at the University of Jos. At Joey Off-Air, a community-centred newsroom covering Central Nigeria, she has reported on critical issues: from exposing scam investment platforms, human rights violation, to commemorating victims of a deadly school building collapse in Jos.

Through her work at Joey Off-Air, Ajifa has participated in several development-focused journalism programmes. These include the Advancing Peace and Security Workshop for Nigerian journalists by HumAngle Foundation, the Empowering Women in Media initiative by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, and the Religion for Change project led by Prime Progress. 

“This is the motive of our platform – to build the next generation of journalists who will tell important stories that drive social change, and who can begin to build a meaningful career even before graduation,” said Joey Shekwonuzhibo, Founder and co-Managing Editor of Joey Off-Air.