AI technologies can help combat disinformation Leanne Manas is a household name in South African television. In late 2023, the morning news presenter’s face appeared in fake news stories and advertisements, where “she” seemingly promoted various products and get-rich-quick schemes. She had fallen victim to “deep faking”. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, a finance worker was tricked into paying out $25 million in a sophisticated scheme whereby fraudsters impersonated the company’s Chief Financial Officer and other colleagues in a video conference call using deepfake technology. Deepfakes are media that have been digitally manipulated (typically using artificial intelligence) to replace one’s likeness.…
Nnaemeka Ohamadike
Nnaemeka Ohamadike
Nnaemeka is a data analyst and researcher at Good Governance Africa. He completed his Masters degree in e-Science (Data Science) at the University of the Witwatersrand, supported by a scholarship from the South African government’s Department of Science and Innovation. Much of his research explores socio-political issues like human development, governance, disinformation, bias, and polarisation, using data science and AI techniques. He has published research in scholarly journals like Politeia, Journal of Social Development in Africa, and The Africa Governance Papers. He has experience working as a Data Consultant at DataEQ Consulting and teaching at the Federal University, Lafia in Nigeria and the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
Most Africans want the news media to investigate and report government mistakes and corruption. However, in African countries with higher corruption levels than lower ones, citizens are more concerned about the harm excessive reporting brings to their country. Over the past few decades, corruption has been an endemic issue confronting many African countries. The media is instrumental in combating corruption through investigative journalism, informing the public, and promoting accountability, as demonstrated in African countries like South Africa, Ghana, and Nigeria. For instance, in South Africa, news reports on large-scale corruption and clientelism at the highest levels prompted the Office of…
Most Africans want the news media to investigate and report government mistakes and corruption. However, in African countries with higher corruption levels than lower ones, citizens are more concerned about the harm excessive reporting brings to their country. Over the past few decades, corruption has been an endemic issue confronting many African countries. The media is instrumental in combating corruption through investigative journalism, informing the public, and promoting accountability, as demonstrated in African countries like South Africa, Ghana, and Nigeria. For instance, in South Africa, news reports on large-scale corruption and clientelism at the highest levels prompted the Office of…
The African food and water security landscape faces a significant challenge. Despite its vast agricultural potential and abundant water resources, the continent continuously faces issues of hunger and water scarcity. This is clear from the mean value of 0.26 on the food and water security index, with many countries falling below this mark (Figure 1). The index operates on a scale from 0 to 1, where higher scores denote better security. To tackle these issues, it is vital to leverage, among other things, data-driven approaches that can enhance agricultural planning, resource allocation, risk management, and overall governance. In recent years,…
In recent years, the global call for a just energy transition has grown louder as concerns over climate change, environmental degradation, and the need for access to equitable clean energy intensify. However, the reality, as depicted in Figure 1 of this article, remains that numerous African countries still face a deficit in terms of clean energy access for their populations. In 2020, Africa had a clean energy access rate of 29.08%, while the global rate was 69.57%. Despite these challenges, data for the past two decades in Africa have revealed the emergence of good governance as a pivotal driving force…
