Behind The Bytes: January Recap
January at Dataphyte
As 2025 begins, Dataphyte remains focused on driving conversations, sharing knowledge, and strengthening collaborations in media, data, and civic engagement. January featured important discussions, hands-on training, and new partnerships. Here’s what we accomplished:
Decoding the Alliance of Sahel States' Exit from ECOWAS
We started the year with a webinar titled The Alliance of Sahel States' Exit from ECOWAS Today: Hard Facts and Hopes for the Future. Over 60 participants joined expert speakers to examine this major shift's economic, geopolitical, and security effects.
Afolabi Adekaiyaoja, a Predoctoral Research Fellow at, International Centre for Tax and Development (CDD-West Africa), discussing the implications of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger exiting ECOWAS
Empowering Media and Data Enthusiasts with AI
Dataphyte Academy commenced the year’s activities with a hands-on workshop introducing media professionals and data enthusiasts to AI tools developed by Dataphyte (including Goloka and Nubia) and other civic organisations. The goal of the training was to equip participants with practical tools to improve their daily work processes.
As a leader in data education, Dataphyte Academy offers a range of courses for everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals. The “Data Story Lab” training, which began in December 2024, attracted over 64 participants, all learning how to apply essential tools to enhance their data-driven media and civic work.
In December, the training centered around investigative and analytical reports authored by prominent journalists, with a strong emphasis on data-driven approaches with was attended by more than 55 participants. Additionally, the Academy certified 13 individuals who completed a two-month course in Data Management and Analytics.
In the coming months, the Academy plans to launch more projects designed to meet the needs of the digital age, fostering increased engagement with students, data science communities, and data professionals.
Insights from Tsinghua University Delegation
On January 17, 2025, we hosted a delegation from Tsinghua University. The group, consisting of four students and one professor, engaged in discussions on foreign influence in Nigeria, with a focus on China’s role.
Dataphyte Team welcoming the Delegation from Tsinghua University
Mr. Olufemi led the session by presenting key insights from the Foreign Influence Index, highlighting China's multifaceted influence on Nigeria in areas like economic cooperation, cultural exchange, and diplomacy.
Mr Oluseyi Olufemi, Insight Lead at Dataphyte discussing China's multifaceted influence on Nigeria
The discussion contextualised China's significant impact on Nigeria, surpassing traditional influences such as the UK in certain sectors. While China leads in infrastructural investments, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic alignments, the Index also explores the qualitative dimensions of influence—evaluating how these relationships promote or hinder democratic norms and socioeconomic development.
External Engagement: Advancing Open Governance through Technology and Innovation
As Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership(OGP) National Action Plan (NAP III) 2023 -2025 came to a close, Dataphyte took part in the Valedictory OGP Nigeria Thematic Working Group Quarterly Meeting on January 28th and 29th, 2025. This meeting marked the final gathering of state and non-state actors for the National Action Plan III implementation year, - a biannual action plan co-created by the National Steering Committee and Civil Society Organisations to strengthen and mainstream transparency methods, as well as citizen participation in the administration of public resources across all sectors in Nigeria. At the meeting, the group presented the status report on the OGP implementation of NAP III and the draft report on the assessment of the Citizen and non-state actors' engagement in implementing the OGP NAP III.
During the implementation report, Dataphyte, co-chair of the Non-State Actors in the Technology and Innovation Crosscutting Thematic Working Group, highlighted its collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). This partnership provides technical support to all NAP III thematic working groups to help them fulfill their commitments. Dataphyte also emphasised its role in leading efforts to advance technology and innovation within the National Action Plan IV implementation year, which will begin this year, 2025. Dataphyte's involvement in the OGP partnership and its active role in implementing the national plan highlights its dedication to fostering transparency, accountability, and good governance.
Dataphyte also participated in a seminar organised by the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Abuja and Tsinghua University, China, on January 17th, 2025. The seminar themed “Civilization Exchange and Mutual Learning between China and Nigeria” had academic experts, relevant stakeholders and students in attendance to discuss the shared history of China and Nigeria and the opportunities for working together to grow and develop. The event focused on the importance of cultural exchange, political cooperation, historical values and sharing knowledge between the two countries. It highlighted how learning from each other can help build stronger relationships and lead to positive outcomes. The event emphasized mutual respect, cultural preservation, and the significance of diverse, inclusive global dialogue.
Dataphyte Insights: A Month of Knowledge Sharing
In January, Dataphyte released 13 newsletters that comprehensively examined Nigeria's socio-economic and political climate, with a keen focus on the challenges and changes shaping the lives of its citizens through our weekly newsletter publications: Pocket Science, SenorRita, Marina and Maitama, and Data Dive.
The Pocket Science publication provided an in-depth analysis of Nigerians' economic struggles, including the impact of food inflation, the accuracy of CPI updates, the consequences of tariff adjustments, and the persistent issue of energy poverty. It also offered solutions and suggestions to mitigate the impact of the microeconomic problems on their finances.
SenorRita, a gender-focused publication, brought to the forefront the plight of Nigerian women, addressing critical issues such as the HIV epidemic, climate change burdens, the rise in femicide, and the complexities surrounding divorce.
Marina and Maitama examined the nation's fiscal policies, analysing the unsustainable debt crisis, the effects of GDP rebasing and the decline of ATMs, currency devaluation, and Oando Plc's expanded operations. It also highlighted the urgent need for humanitarian intervention and investor caution.
Lastly, Data Dive assessed the socioeconomic trends across different metrics of the member states of ECOWAS as the withdrawal of the Sahel States (Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso) from ECOWAS became official and the institution approaches its 50th anniversary this year.
In addition to these newsletters, explainers and an investigative report were published, covering Nigeria's GDP rebasing and additions, NBS website downtime, and the gender bias in accessing healthcare services in Nasarawa, Nigeria.
Collectively, Dataphyte's newsletters and reports in January painted a vivid picture of a nation grappling with economic pressures, social injustices, and the quest for regional solidarity, while striving to inform and engage its readership on these pressing matters.
Looking Ahead
With January setting a strong foundation, we look forward to the opportunities ahead. From expanding our training programs to engaging in global discussions, Dataphyte remains committed to equipping individuals and institutions with the knowledge and tools to navigate today’s information landscape.
And You?
Every project and achievement at Dataphyte is powered by the people behind the work—our team, partners, and community. Your contributions make this possible, and we appreciate another month of hard work and dedication.
We’re excited for February. Keep the highlights coming, and we’ll see you in next month’s newsletter.
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Behind The Bytes – Bridging Data, Media, and Civic Engagement