When terrorists stormed Federal Government College (FGC) Birnin Yauri, North West Nigeria, on 17 June 2021 and kidnapped 89 students, Umar Aminu Yandaki—then a reporter at HumAngle—was among the few journalists who covered the crisis extensively.

“The Editor-in-Chief believed I was the best person to report the story,” said Yandaki, who considers Birnin Yauri his second home. He travelled to the community, investigated the events in depth, and even spoke to some of the girls in captivity. His reporting contributed to HumAngle’s coverage, making it more comprehensive. Using GIS technology, we tracked the possible location of the hostages, providing crucial insights into their plight.

Now a doctoral researcher at the Department of History, Northwestern University, USA, Yandaki is among the journalists who have passed through the HumAngle newsroom in the last five years. 

“My time at HumAngle was brief but profoundly impactful,” he recounted. “The newsroom made me discover new ways to express myself in writing. It also taught me the importance of discipline. The organisation doesn’t just hold governments accountable; it also holds its employees to high standards.”

These lessons, he said, continue to shape his doctoral studies and other pursuits. “I am constantly challenged to level up, having worked under Mr [Ahmad] Salkida [HumAngle’s Founder and CEO] and alongside my brilliant colleagues.”

‘It can only get better’ 

For Nathaniel Bivan, former Features Editor, HumAngle was where he first immersed himself in solutions journalism before becoming the pioneer Head of the Solutions Reporting Desk. “[The Editor-in-Chief] initially asked me to start a peace reporting desk and gave me some pointers. Soon after, however, he changed his mind and explained that solutions journalism was broader,” Bivan recounted. “His reasoning was simple: people were tired of bad news. His vision instantly propelled me into action, and I ran with it as though it were my own.”

Embracing this vision transformed Bivan’s approach to conflict reporting. In 2021, he started investigating the polarisation caused by ethno-religious violence in Jos, Plateau State, North-central Nigeria. That fieldwork resulted in a five-part series, ‘The Polarised City’, which explored how Christian and Muslim neighbourhoods lived in fear of each other and how individuals and organisations were working to mend divisions through initiatives like sports competitions and music festivals.

“The stories sparked widespread public discourse, and we saw several newsrooms following up or republishing them,” he noted. Encouraged by the impact, Bivan later replicated the project in Kaduna, northwestern Nigeria, in another series, ‘The Divided City. ’

“It is worth noting that we were one of the pioneer newsrooms to set up a solutions journalism desk in Nigeria,” Bivan told HumAngle. “Our stories inspired others to do the same, leading several newsrooms to establish similar desks. We became known for conflict reporting with a solutions-focused approach, proving that we could stay true to our niche while offering a unique style of journalism.” HumAngle was later selected for the Newsrooms Fellowship at the Solutions Journalism Africa Initiative, with Bivan leading the team. 

Since leaving the newsroom, he has published a book and is a freelance reporter covering social responses for local and international newsrooms. 

Reflecting on HumAngle’s fifth anniversary, Bivan said, “The founder is innovative and has a knack for spotting and grooming talent. It can only get better. Let’s hope for funding to continue this great work. I may not be there, but I am cheering the team on from a distance.”

From the Lake Chad

While Bivan was covering stories in North-central and North West Nigeria, another HumAngle team was stationed in the Lake Chad region, led by Abdulkareem Haruna. “Leading a dynamic unit in the North East, renowned for its innovative approach, was immensely rewarding,” he said. Haruna served in the role from 2022 to 2024.

“One of the most memorable aspects was collaborating with a diverse team of talented individuals, particularly the creative energy of the Gen Z journalists,” he said. “The shift to a newsroom driven by rapidly evolving ICT and AI technologies was the most demanding part of my role. However, HumAngle’s emphasis on continuous learning, through mandatory weekly training sessions on modern journalistic practices, was invaluable. These sessions significantly enhanced my skills and broadened my understanding of contemporary journalism.”

Even after leaving HumAngle to focus on other responsibilities, Haruna has continued to report for the organisation as a freelancer. “I retained a strong sense of connection to the organisation. The collaborative and supportive culture fostered by the management created a lasting sense of belonging. The organisation’s DNA—its commitment to impactful reporting—has become a part of my professional identity,” he noted.

‘No boundaries, no limitations’

When Rolake Ogunfeitimi was posted to Abuja for the National Youth Service Corps—a mandatory one-year programme for Nigerian graduates—she sought an experience that would “define my career in the best way possible.” HumAngle was one of the organisations she applied to, and she eventually secured a place.

“My experience at HumAngle shaped me in many ways. Just like the slogan says, ‘No boundaries, no limitations,’ there is something about working at HumAngle that pushes you to think bigger, deeper, and more innovatively. By the time my service year ended, I wasn’t the same person who walked in. HumAngle trained me, launched my career, and gave me the confidence to embrace my creativity without limits,” Ogunfeitimi noted.

She currently works as a Communications Associate at ActionAid. “When I joined, I brought in a fresh perspective, and honestly, I’ve been able to stand out because of the solid foundation HumAngle gave me. I’ll always be grateful for that experience,” she added.

While at HumAngle, Ogunfeitimi worked on several stories, but one stood out as her most challenging: ‘What Is Responsible for the Underreporting of Africa’s Conflicts?’

“I remember going through my draft countless times, feeling stuck. I kept asking myself, ‘How do I structure this better?’ I wanted it to be great. I studied numerous reports, analysed data, and tried to piece everything together in a way that made sense,” she said. “When the story was finally done and published, I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment—like I could take on the world.”

The nostalgia

Since leaving, Ogunfeitimi has missed many aspects of the newsroom, particularly the weekly training sessions, Friday games, and team bonding.

“I miss the workspace itself—the warmth, the joy of being at work, and how everyone was genuinely kind and supportive. Even the smallest wins were celebrated, which meant so much to me. It was definitely my safe space,” she recounted.

‘Kunle Adebajo, the immediate past Investigations Editor at HumAngle, shares this nostalgia.

“It was the privilege of a lifetime to have colleagues who not only tolerated me but also appreciated and applauded my work,” he said.

While at HumAngle, Adebajo led some of the organisation’s most impactful and award-winning investigative projects. Among them was As the Desert Stretches, So Does Nigeria’s Farmer-Herder Crisis—one of the most challenging stories he worked on.

“There were so many moving parts, and I nearly lost my mind trying to piece them together into a coherent story. Experiences like this shape one’s career because once you do it, you realise you can do it again,” he told HumAngle.

“I worked on many such stories at HumAngle that tested my limits. That was one of the best things about my time there as a journalist—the freedom to aspire beyond the ordinary, to push past the easy, and to stretch myself.”

The future and beyond

Now the Editor of the African Academy for Open Source Investigation at Code for Africa, Adebajo envisions HumAngle expanding its footprint across more African countries in the coming years. He believes the organisation will continue to stand out as long as it remains committed to impactful journalism and upholds high standards.

“The organisation has ambitions so lofty they even intimidate some of its leading team members, but this is what sets it apart—the courage to dream and the commitment to doing the kind of work that turns those dreams into reality,” he said.

“I see it deepening its impact with coverage that resonates widely, wielding greater influence among policy shapers, and grooming some of the best talents in the industry.” 

Ogunfeitimi also foresees HumAngle making greater impact on a global scale. “It will keep breaking boundaries and setting new standards for storytelling,” she said. “The future is bright!” 

Her optimism aligns with Yandaki’s vision for the platform. 

“I see HumAngle not only sustaining this momentum but also incorporating cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence and virtual reality, to further transform journalism in Nigeria and across Africa,” he said.