…Fellowship attracts over 500 applications from Nigeria, Ghana
…Selected journalists to sharpen reporting on emerging technologies
By Juliet
By Kingsley Samuel
A correspondent with Vanguard, Juliet Umeh, has been selected alongside 27 other journalists and content creators from Nigeria and Ghana for the 2026 UK Media Excellence in Emerging Technologies, UK MEET, Fellowship.
The three-month fellowship, which attracted more than 500 applications from both countries, is designed to strengthen science journalism and improve public understanding of emerging technologies.
The programme is delivered by Imperial College London through Imperial Global Ghana, with support from the British High Commission in Accra and the UK Government in Nigeria.
President of Imperial College London, Prof. Hugh Brady, who announced the fellowship cohort, said the programme would strengthen journalists’ capacity to report on science, innovation and emerging technologies.
According to him, the training will cover a range of issues, including artificial intelligence (AI), climate risk, biomedical innovation, the circular economy and electronic waste.
Brady said the need for accurate and accessible science reporting had become more urgent amid rapid technological change, misinformation and increasingly complex global challenges.
He said: “The UK MEET Fellowship is a programme for science journalists and content creators from Ghana and Nigeria to strengthen and inspire their reporting on science, innovation, and emerging technologies, focusing on wide-ranging topics from artificial intelligence and climate risk to biomedical innovation, the circular economy and e-waste.”
He added that policymakers, leaders and educators needed accurate and accessible reporting to understand the implications of scientific developments, ask informed questions and make sound decisions.
Brady also said science journalism could help build public trust in research by connecting scientific discoveries with the communities expected to benefit from them.
The Ghanaian fellows have commenced their training in Accra, while the Nigerian segment of the programme is scheduled to hold in Abuja from October 18 to 24.
During the Abuja residential programme, participants will engage with researchers working in areas such as artificial intelligence, climate and health technology. They will also receive practical training in verifying technology claims, sourcing data and developing story pitches.
The training is expected to equip the fellows with the skills to interrogate emerging technologies, examine their implications and produce evidence-based reports that make complex scientific issues accessible to the public.
In an email notifying Umeh of her selection, the organisers said more than 500 applications were received from journalists and content creators in Nigeria and Ghana.
They explained that each eligible application was independently assessed by two reviewers as part of the selection process.
The organisers said: “Your application stood out for its track record of reporting, a clear point of view, and a pitch with a question worth answering.”
As part of the fellowship, participants will refine their proposed story ideas during the Abuja residential programme. Fellows who develop the strongest and most rigorous proposals will be considered for a UK Knowledge Exchange in London.
The exchange will provide selected participants with opportunities to meet researchers and visit facilities at Imperial College London, enabling them to gain first-hand insights into the science behind their proposed stories.
According to the organisers, the opportunity will allow selected fellows to “see the science behind the story first-hand.”
