Africa Investigative Journalism Lab strengthens investigative reporting

From the 4 th to 8th of November 2026, investigative journalists and media experts gathered in Mombasa, Kenya, for the Africa Investigative Journalism Lab. Organised by KAS Media Africa in cooperation with Africa Uncensored, the programme combined instructive sessions, practical exercises and individual editorial support.

Participants explored the foundations of effective investigations, including public interest reporting, accountability, evidence and impact. They learned how to turn initial ideas into clear investigative questions with convincing editorial pitches.

A central focus was the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI). Sessions addressed large language models, prompting, tech bias, hallucinations and ethical considerations. In practical workshops, participants used AI to organise documents, transcribe interviews and develop tools supporting their own investigations.

The event also covered open-source intelligence, digital verification and data journalism. Participants worked with public databases, online archives and social media information while learning to verify images, videos, claims and locations. Additional sessions addressed online influence networks, source protection, digital security, covert filming and the physical and psychological risks faced by investigative journalists.

Storytelling remained an important part of the training. The journalists explored how investigations can be presented through articles, videos, podcasts, data visualisations and social media. During the final sessions, they refined their projects, strengthened their angles and presented their pitches for editorial feedback.

The Lab demonstrated that technology could support investigative journalism, but credible reporting continues to depend on verification, ethical judgement and a strong commitment to the public interest.