Hi there, my name is Muhammed Akinyemi, the Editor-in-Chief of Zikoko Citizen, and I have some important news for you.
Citizen is a publication – unlike any other – that aims to help you easily understand politics, policy, and governance — and take action. All you need to do is follow us while we follow the news.
If you followed us during the National (February 25, 2023) and State (March 18, 2023) elections, you’d recall how expansive our coverage was and how easy it was to get the news at your doorstep.
We achieved that on the web through general news coverage and our web series like The Nigerian Voter (a series where Nigerians shared their voting experiences), Navigating Nigeria (for residential Nigerians on how to explore Nigeria safely), Wait First (where we fact-check stories on a scale of fresh tomato to cold zobo), and our Game of Votes weekly newsletter (subscribe here if you haven’t).
We brought the news to you on social media via Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Facebook.
We reached more than five million people during the elections and are not about to stop. Let me introduce you to our post-election phase.
What’s new
Three things:
- Everyday Citizens
During the build-up to the elections, we asked ourselves one question: how are policies and politics affecting and changing the lives of everyday Nigerians? We introduced Everyday People (now Everyday Citizens) to find answers.
We spoke to people often snubbed by the media except as vox-pop entertainment: these northern traders talking about the voting process in Lagos, this plumber explaining why it’s important to vote without sentiments, or this reality check on if Nigerians still remember election day.
Elections are over, but governance, policies and politics never stop. That’s why we are rebranding the flagship as Everyday Citizens and giving the microphone and camera to you, the everyday Nigerian, to tell us how policies —like the naira swap— affect you.
No matter where you are in Nigeria or the world, you’ll soon be able to share your experience on Everyday Citizens. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube and watch out for the series officially launching Monday, April 17, 2023, airing on Mondays at 1 p.m. and Fridays at 6 p.m, Nigerian time.
Remember to follow and turn on post notifications for Zikoko Citizen on your favourite social media platforms. .
- Citizen History
Our history as a country is filled with events that could provide clarity on who we are and the things that happen today. Unfortunately, history is not popular in primary and secondary school education. Most of us have to rely on stories told by parents, books we read and snippets on the internet to find the truth of our past.
That’s about to change.
Starting Tuesday, Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Every week, on Tuesdays, Citizen History will take you back in time and help you draw connections between Nigeria yesterday and Nigeria today.
Join us today on Twitter Spaces as we launch the web series:
Follow us as we follow history.
- Citizen 60 Seconds
As someone who grew up in front of the news, watching hourly updates from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., I know how annoying it feels when the news just won’t end.
Citizen’s 60 Seconds is our antidote to unending news coverage. In exactly 60 seconds – not more – we will tell you essential news without the time-wasting fluff.
Follow us on Instagram now so you don’t miss out when we launch on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Catch 60 seconds on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 4 p.m. Nigerian time.
What’s leaving?
We did many things with The Nigerian Voter series: we interviewed an Internally Displaced Person who was keen to vote, a student at the cusp of disenfranchisement, and a Nigerian who thinks voting is a sin, among several others.
But the flagship has played its part, and as elections wind down, it is winding down with it.
However, we are not killing coverage of the elections. You can still read our daily coverage on the Citizen website and Game of Votes (you should subscribe).
What’s Staying?
Our series, Navigating Nigeria, Wait First, and Abroad Life (what it means to be Nigerian, japa edition), are all staying, because they provide valuable insights to you.
We are taking the spotlight from politicians and returning them to you. We are back to asking how their policies affect you and why you should participate in governance.
We will be telling you what steps to take when you’re a victim of revenge porn, explaining things like interim government, what new Acts mean for you, and how events like #EndSARS triggered Nigeria’s biggest japa wave in the last five years.
Follow us as we follow the news.
At Zikoko Citizen, we promise to always cover politics, policies, and governance while telling you why you should care. Let us do the heavy lifting of following the news while you follow us for the breakdown.
