Exposing Alkalanci’s dazzling Hausa works of fact-checking, media literacy in W’Africa

It is no longer news that the name Alkalanci has become a household name in the fact-checking and media literacy industry not only in Nigeria, but neighbouring West African sub-region. What is even more striking is not the number of works Alkalanci has been able to dish out within the short period it has been in existence, but the fact that it is doing its fact-checking work in the Hausa language.

But how has it been doing this lot within this short time frame? Founder and Editor, Alhassan Bala, a renown bilingual international journalist shed light thus: “Many people now find it difficult to differentiate between reliable and false information due to misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and deepfakes videos and pictures.

You know our people love news and information and they love to share these news stories and information with others. The urge to share information without or before verifying it is the major reason false claims, fake news circulate in Hausa digital space across the Sahel.

And, of course, we’re examining the massive Hausa digital space where speakers from across the Sahel starting with Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal. As you can see there are five West and Central African countries that have a significant number of Hausa speakers. The people that speak this language irrespective of the country, are readers, writers and listeners.

I observed for quite some times how misinformation and disinformation is seriously increasing among the speakers across social media platforms, and I can say most of the fact-checking platforms here in Nigeria and other countries I mentioned only focus on fact-checking claims made in English or French language, which most times are not similar to those circulating in the Hausa digital space.

And after a curious and cursory look at the space, “then I said to myself that this is something we need to work on; this is something that our people need to be aware of and educate them on the danger.

We started Alkalanci as a fact-checking platform last year and ever since, we have been noticing seeing certain shifts with some people that used to carelessly post misleading or false claims. We sat down also and said to fact-check the claims already said or made is good but why not do something that will prevent people from doing or falling into the trap of disinformation actors? That was when the idea of media literacy started.

Alkalanci is an independent fact-checking and media literacy platform. Since its birth, I have been the person funding it, paying the few volunteers or supporting staff. We have some amount that will encourage them, although it is modestly a reasonable amount vis-a-vis the Nigeria minimum wage.

Of course, nowadays, people are fast coming to terms with the two phenomena: Fact-checking and Media Literacy, despite that, the Hausa speakers seem to have received little or no attention. Could that be the reason why Alkalanci was launched in Hausa? The answer is not far-fetched, as Mr. Bala put it: Most people love to be talked to in their native language or mother tongue, same goes to Hausa people.

Hausa language has huge speakers, same when you go to digital space there are huge users of social media platforms. Hausa speakers love their language in terms of speaking and writing. We have seen several misleading and fake claims, pictures or videos posted in Hausa languages and the amount of people that share comments or like such posts are huge.

This is why we said our focus should be fact-checking claims made in Hausa language and we do our own in Hausa to debunk the claims; because if you get claim in Hausa language and your fact-checking is in another language, for example, English or French, what happen to those that can only speak, read, write in Hausa that have already heard, watched or read the claims?

Same goes to the media literacy aspect that we do in the Hausa language because of those that don’t understand English or French in these countries.

It is, however, interesting to know that within the 6 or 7 months of the launch of the platform, Alkalanchi has already made unprecedented waves in the industry, such that it has even been acknowledged internationally.

You know whenever you are trying to bring out a fact or truth some people naturally feel that you are trying to attack them, or you’re being partisan especially when the fact-checks contradict political, religious, or cultural views.

The pressure to share unsubstantiated information also makes it more complex since people are likely to believe and share information that appeals to them rather than a substantiated news story.

I believe the lack of media literacy and critical thinking makes the people vulnerable to conspiracy theories most especially health related because we have seen many, as some of these culprits even portray us having ulterior motives.

For the success stories, some users that posted misleading or fake claims, pictures or videos took down the post after our fact-checking work.
Also so many people are reaching out to us when they see things and ask if it is authentic or not, including some journalists and online newspapers that post in Hausa language because we have fact-checked many claims or stories from some online newspapers, which turned out to be false or misleading. Some took down the post and for the misleading ones they corrected. For us we take screenshots and archive the links or the posts. It is still there for people to see.

Additionally, some claims are government agencies related, and it is always hard to get the facts from government officials sometimes on time or even at all. Meanwhile, there are agencies I can say have given us cooperation more, like the Nigeria and Niger Republic Foreign Affairs ministries. It has been a trying moment for the two as misleading claims come from citizens of these countries, including government officials but they always listen to us and give us facts and for any reason we couldn’t get what we asked, two things are involved: either that they attribute security, reason or is classified information.

In terms of the challenges, it’s more of the perception of the people. Many don’t know the importance of this fact-checking and media literacy. Our own is that we bring the facts, we use the facts to reach the conclusion: either the claims are true, false or misleading.

We also use media literacy to let users know how they can protect themselves from the virus of disinformation.

According to the founder, plans are well underway to extend to other languages and/or English in the future.

We will in sha Allah launch the English version any moment from now. The reason why we are launching the English version is to start converting the Hausa fact-checked claims to English. This will help the Hausa speakers that also have a good understanding of English to get the complete picture of the claims and also the verdict.

We are doing this to reach more people in terms of knowing about false and misleading information. On several occasions claims don’t remain in digital space they also go round in talks and conversations as well. So having fact-checked claims in Hausa and English, using text, videos and graphics will really help.

To put it bluntly, Alkalanci has recorded certain achievements, which can literally be equated with quite well older platforms in the industry.

For instance, one of the biggest achievements was when some users that posted false claims had to take them down or correct them after reading our work. We have received several messages of commendations from people.

Currently, we have an understanding with radio stations in Nigeria and Niger for the media literacy program in Hausa language.

In December, 2024 European External Action Service (EEAS) invited me to their headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, I traveled to Brussels, the Capital city of Belgium, where I received training and meetings regarding disinformation. It was a great opportunity and I learnt a lot as the issue is not a regional or local matter but a global issue.

One thing people don’t know is disinformation has domestic and foreign actors which is the reason for the new name: “Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference,” FIMI.

Additionally, the two works – fact-checking and media literacy – have positively been impacting/transforming the lives of the people Alkalanci serves.

Let me start with media literacy here. When people know how to question any inaccurate, misleading or false claims, when people can be able to themselves identify and know when a news or claim or picture is not correct definitely it will impact on them. It will save them from anxiety, fear and by extension protect their mental health.

Aside from political misinformation which happens before, during and sometimes after elections, another major one is health misinformation, which is very rampant in Hausa digital space.

For fact-checking the did has been done so when those that believe about a claim, for example, related to health or security but before they take action prefer to see the fact-checked article definitely it will douse that tension or feeling.

With regards to health disinformation or misinformation, fact-checking and media literacy are key to protecting people. Recently, we did a fact-check on health related claims. If some people had believed that claim and did what was said it would have been so dangerous to that person’s health. So you see our work will enlighten and protect people which by extension impact positively on them. –

One then wonders whether the present-day persistent spread of fake news, misinformation and disinformation could be curtailed through means like Alkalanci. Definitely, media literacy is key to this, because when people know the negative impact of disinformation and have knowledge of it definitely it will be reduced to the lowest level. We will keep pushing and doing our part.

We understand that it is all about interest and behavior because there are disinformation issues being fueled by foreign actors and some fueled by local politicians. As we make effort they are also finding other ways to spread these misleading and false claims.

In Nigeria, there are many of such being fueled by local politicians before, during and after elections. Also, Nigeria and other Sahel countries are facing disinformation from foreign actors.

Despite these number of success stories, there are equally the corresponding number of setbacks and challenges.

The major challenge is the lack of funding or donation yet. The editor-in-chief and myself are the ones using our little resources.

Another challenge is getting some facts that are always problematic. And some claims, as a fact-checker myself and a journalist, know that it is not possible or true but in Nigeria we don’t have much data to cite or document to use when fact-checking some claims that is a challenge.

Equally, some claims are not true but we can’t get facts or any reasonable information to back our investigation and verdict. We don’t use our own opinion but facts, data and authentic information.

The fight against the spread of fake news and misinformation is a global phenomenon, and one may wonder whether there has been any foreign support. For now, we don’t have but as I told you earlier I was in Europe for disinformation training and meetings. We are already engaging like minds and we are optimistic we will soon have many partners within and outside Nigeria.

On the cooperation of government and its agencies toward the smooth function of this onerous job, it is still unclear. Before I started fact-checking I knew the attitude of many government officials, they don’t like to talk most of the time, they are not always ready to provide or give information or data. Like I mentioned earlier, foreign affairs ministry in Nigeria is the only one giving us complete cooperation so far. I can also say medical doctors from different parts have been supportive most especially as there are many health related misinformations.

It will interest the readers to know that all the social media platforms play a vital role in the spread of the works of Alkalanci. False information is always spreading via digital space, I mean social media platforms; we are using those platforms as well. To our surprise, we always post on Facebook, X (Twitter) instagram and Tiktok but it seems our fact-checking works spread also on WhatsApp because I have received work we have done on many WhatsApp groups that was not posted by myself or anyone from the team. So far we are getting more followers on all our social media accounts.

We get feedback through a WhatsApp number where people send us claims or pictures to verify for them.

In the next 2 years, Alkalanci promises to be a force to be reckoned with in anything fact-checking and media literacy not only the north but Nigeria and neighbouring countries alike.

Due to our unique approach and also plan and innovation for the future, I see Alkalanci as a media literacy and fact-checking hub in the Sahel cooperating with other platforms like it in other continents for a safe and better digital space.

Nigerians and indeed other Hausa speakers in the neighbouring countries should always be in a rush to believe whatever you see without confirming from other reliable sources. Always check the source of the news; check if the person that shares the information is a reliable person or not?
Avoid reading only the headlines, read deeper with an open mind.

It is pertinent to remind everyone that fact-checking organizations are not your enemies even if they fact-check your political or religious leader and find his statement to be false. Fact-checkers are doing service to protect people from consuming false information that can have negative consequences in a short while or in future.