A Chief Correspondent with PUNCH Weekend titles, Dare Akogun, has been selected alongside 27 other journalists and content creators for the 2026 UK Media Excellence for Emerging Technologies Fellowship.
The three-month fellowship, delivered by Imperial College London through Imperial Global Ghana, with support from the British High Commission in Accra and the UK Government in Nigeria, aims to strengthen science journalism and improve public understanding of emerging technologies.
The President of Imperial College London, Prof Hugh Brady, announced the 2026 Ghanaian and Nigerian cohort in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday.
Brady said the programme would equip journalists and content creators to improve their reporting on science, innovation and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, climate risk, biomedical innovation, the circular economy and electronic waste.
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.”
According to him, evidence-based science journalism has become increasingly important amid the spread of misinformation, rapid technological changes and complex global challenges.
“Evidence-based, trusted science journalism has never been more essential. In a world of rapid technological change, misinformation and increasingly complex global challenges, our policymakers, leaders, and educators need accurate, accessible reporting that helps them understand what’s at stake, ask informed questions and make sound decisions,” he said.
Brady added that accessible science reporting could help build public trust in research and connect scientific discoveries with the communities expected to benefit from them.
He disclosed that the Ghanaian fellows began their training in Accra on Monday, while the programme would move to Abuja, Nigeria, the following week.
He also said selected fellows would have the opportunity to visit Imperial College London in December to meet researchers and tour its facilities.
In an earlier email notifying Akogun of his selection, the programme organisers said the fellowship attracted more than 500 applications from journalists and content creators across Nigeria and Ghana.
The organisers said each eligible application was independently assessed by two reviewers, with 13 per cent of applicants selected.
They said Akogun’s application stood out because of his reporting track record, clear editorial perspective and proposed story idea.
The Nigerian residential programme is scheduled to be held in Abuja from October 18 to 24, 2026.
Activities will include engagements with researchers working on artificial intelligence, climate and health technology, as well as practical sessions on verifying emerging technology claims, investigating data and developing publishable story pitches.
The fellowship will also provide opportunities for participants to build professional networks with science and technology reporters across the region.
According to the organisers, fellows who demonstrate strong progress in developing rigorous story pitches during the Abuja residential may be considered for a knowledge exchange programme in London in late November.
The UK MEET Fellowship is part of efforts to strengthen science communication and improve public understanding of technological developments and their implications for society.