Journalists, filmmakers, researchers and development communication experts have called for a fundamental shift in how development is documented in Africa, urging media practitioners and development actors to move beyond reporting project implementation and focus on the tangible impact interventions have on people’s lives.

The call was made during The ISDI Founding Conversation, convened by the Impact Storytelling for Development Initiative (ISDI) in Kano under the theme: “Documenting What Changed: The Future of Evidence-Based Impact Storytelling in Africa.”

The invitation-only gathering officially introduced ISDI, an independent development communication and impact storytelling institution dedicated to documenting sustainable development through evidence-based journalism, documentary filmmaking, photography, research and strategic communication.

In his opening address, Founder and Executive Director of ISDI, Ibrahim Ayyuba Isah, said the institution was established to bridge the gap between development interventions and the human stories that demonstrate their real impact.

“Every development intervention has two stories. The first is the story of implementation. The second is the story of impact. While implementation tells us what was done, impact storytelling asks a more important question: What changed? ISDI exists to document that second story through evidence, community voices and ethical storytelling.”

Participants agreed that while governments, development agencies and civil society organizations invest significant resources in development programmes, many of the stories that demonstrate how those interventions transform lives remain untold.

Dr. Musa Sufi, Chief Executive Officer of SIDES Media, described ISDI as a timely initiative capable of expanding conversations around development.

“It is inspiring to see an initiative like this coming from Kano. ISDI has given us another opportunity to make an impact. It provides more people with the opportunity to join the conversation and contribute to meaningful change.”

Speaking on the role of solutions journalism, Musbahu El-Hamza, Solutions Journalist and Host of Fitila Podcast, said development communication must go beyond celebrating successes.

“Development stories do not only focus on what works; they should also examine what does not work and why. If someone tries to implement a solution and the intervention fails, who tells that story and explains why it did not work? That is equally important.”

The Head of News, Cool FM/Wazobia FM and Arewa Radio, Abdurrahman Isah, challenged journalists to move beyond urban centres in search of stories that truly matter.

“Building a school alone is not development. We can only call it development when it touches lives and improves the quality of life of the people living in those communities. That is the story journalism should be telling.”

He also stressed the importance of persistence in reporting, noting that meaningful change often comes through sustained follow-up journalism rather than one-off coverage.

For Nafisa Murtala Ahmed, Development Journalist and Head of Programmes at Express Radio, development storytelling begins with communities telling their own stories.

“We are not telling our own development stories or celebrating our community achievements. Development starts with you. When you develop yourself, you can then contribute to the development of your community.”

She added that journalists must move beyond reporting events to telling stories that connect with people’s lived experiences.

The Founder of KDC Foundation, Khalifa Dankadai, described impact storytelling as an important tool for strengthening accountability and sustainability in development.

“Impact storytelling ensures that we do not merely report implementation but critically examine what changed, what the situation was before the intervention and how it has improved since then. It helps hold donors, implementers and communities accountable while protecting the gains of development.”

Other contributors, including Dr. Najib Usman, Hannatu Suleiman, Hauwa Mustapha, Hayatuddeen Muhammad, Furera Isiaka and Umar Gombe, emphasized the importance of community engagement, inclusion, collaboration, research, follow-up reporting and evidence-based documentation in strengthening sustainable development across Africa.

The conversation concluded with a shared commitment to promote collaboration among journalists, researchers, filmmakers, development practitioners and communication professionals in documenting measurable change and amplifying community voices.

Looking ahead, ISDI announced plans to expand its work beyond storytelling through strategic partnerships, research, public dialogue and the establishment of the ISDI Academy, which will build the capacity of young people, women, content creators, photographers, filmmakers and journalists in evidence-based impact storytelling and documentary production.

About ISDI

The Impact Storytelling for Development Initiative (ISDI) is an independent development communication and impact storytelling institution dedicated to documenting sustainable development through evidence-based journalism, documentary filmmaking, photography, research, strategic communication and capacity building.

Guided by the question “What changed?”, ISDI works to amplify community voices, preserve development knowledge and strengthen accountability by documenting the measurable impact of development interventions across Africa.

Website: www.isdiafrica.org

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Professor Isa Ali Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Gombe State, visited the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Federal Low-Cost, Gombe, on Sunday to sympathize with congregants following a recent fire incident that destroyed parts of the church facility.

Pantami, who also serves as a representative of Senate Leader Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo during the visit, described the gesture as a personal decision given his proximity to the church as a neighbor. He offered prayers for those affected and conveyed Dankwambo’s heartfelt sympathies while expressing solidarity with the church and the broader Christian community.

However, the visit—made by a prominent Islamic cleric—has generated significant debate across social media platforms, with critics questioning the appropriateness of the gesture while others have defended it as a demonstration of inclusive leadership.

Public Reactions

Social media users offered contrasting perspectives on the visit:

Amoka commented: “Sheikh Pantami Visits Church earlier today in his hometown in Gombe . What politics can not do, doesn’t exist.”

Ibrahim expressed surprise at the political dynamics, stating: “Omo! Fear Politics oo.”

Beatrice offered a lighter take, remarking: “This country na Cruise I swear.”

Others saw the visit through a more unifying lens. Paul noted: “Leadership is for all,” while Isaac Ebiloma emphasized common humanity: “We were humans before religious differences. Politics or not, it’s ok to visit others and sympathize with them.”

The visit comes amid Pantami’s gubernatorial campaign in Gombe State, where religious and ethnic considerations often feature prominently in political discourse. The former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy has faced scrutiny throughout his political career regarding his religious identity and its intersection with public service.

The ECWA church community has yet to issue an official statement regarding the visit or the extent of damage caused by the fire incident.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal Government has suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination, pending wider consultations with stakeholders.

In a Monday statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, the ministry said the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, had been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review before any final decision is taken.

The ministry, in the release signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, said the suspension followed concerns and feedback from members of the public.

“The Federal Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” the statement said.

According to the ministry, the proposed fee review was driven by rising costs associated with conducting national examinations, noting that registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite increasing operational expenses.

It cited higher costs of logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other services required to maintain the credibility of public examinations.

The statement said the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be put on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.

“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, has directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking,” it said.

The ministry said the decision reflects its commitment to ensuring that policies affecting students and their families are carefully considered and responsive to public interest.

It added that consultations would be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other critical partners before any decision is reached.

Accordingly, the ministry said the proposed review of examination registration fees would not take effect as earlier communicated until the consultation process is concluded.

The Federal Ministry of Education reiterated that students’ welfare, equitable access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to the Federal Government’s education agenda and pledged to keep the public informed throughout the consultation process.

FG said it approved N50,000 as the new examination fee for WAEC and NECO for secondary school candidates from 2027.

The initial registration fee was N27,500, which means the new increment comes with an 82 per cent hike.

In a statement on June 18, 2026, issued by the Director of Senior Secondary Education of the Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, the approval followed a request by WAEC for an upward review of the fee for the Senior School Certificate Examination for candidates from 2027.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students had earlier kicked against the Federal Government’s approval of a uniform N50,000 fee for candidates.