Alternative media: Nigeria
A look at Nigerian news outlets that say they offer something different in the way of media coverage.
Nigerian journalists are among the worst paid reporters in Africa and that creates a flourishing ground for corruption. Money given in theory to cover a journalist’s travel costs and expenses tends to affect the way the story is reported – a syndrome known as “brown envelope journalism”.
But there are some Nigerian news outlets that say they offer something different in the way of coverage.
Sahara Reporters is an online outlet based in New York – distanced from possible prosecution, harassment and the temptation of the brown envelope. Its founder, Omoyele Sowore, says his readers do not consume news; they produce it, through their contributions. Since 2006, the site has published extensive material on corruption in Nigeria, not often seen in mainstream outlets there.
Omojuwa is a blog that gets a younger generation involved in discussions on governance, among other subjects. Its creator, Japheth J. Omojuwa is a 30-year-old blogger and public speaker, popular on Twitter. During the presidential elections earlier this year, Omojuwa’s online campaign against the incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan was said to have influenced many of the votes of the site’s 255,000 followers.
There is also Naij, an independent site somewhat reminiscent of outlets like Vox or Buzzfeed – it has space for entertainment, but also produces in depth articles on political touchy issues and features a section entirely dedicated to the latest news on Boko Haram.