PLATFORM TIMES INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM FOUNDATION (PTIJF) was founded to strengthen developmental journalism and uphold public accountability in the media industry.

The foundation was established to train, mentor and assist new generation journalists in developing society through the media.

Our vision of advocating community development, exposing social ills and corruption, and upholding public accountability was the desire for launching PLATFORM TIMES INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM FOUNDATION (PTIJF).

The foundation will provide training for young journalists and breed a new crop of politically- aware, socially-conscious, and solution-seeking leaders bearing in mind that the young generation represents the future of journalism practice and democratic leadership.

The PLATFORM TIMES INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM FOUNDATION will focus its scope of operation on the following areas: Fact-checking and investigative reporting, climate and gender reporting, solution journalism and Free press advocacy. Its operations will be based on credible data gathering, and human interests, in line with best global practices. It will uphold the principles of democracy, including public accountability, social justice, equality, and freedom of expression.

PTIJF: OUR JOURNEY

It started as a bi-monthly publication in Abeokuta, the cradle city of journalism in Nigeria. At the early stage, we excelled as a community newspaper, telling impactful stories of the people of Ogun state. We published the struggles of the rural people for basic amenities; we wrote about their resilience in the face of marginalisation; we also did not ignore their innovative solutions to various problems.

Occasionally we produced magazines to commemorate remarkable dates in the history of the state or a festival of the people.

A couple of years after, we diversified into online reporting, becoming one of the earliest online newspapers in Nigeria. Since then, Platform Times Newspaper has grown to become a fierce, pro-investigation, people-focused online news platform.

We told human interest stories of the people of Southwest Nigeria, exposing social injustice, corruption, gender-based violence, and climate crimes.

We told the agonising stories of victims of Gender-based violence, particularly during the Covid-19 lockdown. According to the United Nations, there was a rise in cases of GBV during the Covid-19 lockdown.

We are also at the forefront of exposing the poor state of health care in the Southwest. In one of such stories, we exposed how nurses conduct deliveries using candlelight in some parts of Ogun state. We focus mostly on rural communities as they lack adequate representation, and are largely marginalized. We told the stories of victims of injustice, social and environmental crimes, government failures, and communal struggles.

Recently we wrote about “Hospitals of Horror in Ogun state. In the report by the Team Lead of PTIJF, Sodiq Ojuroungbe, we exposed the sully state of primary health centres in the state, forcing expectant mothers to experience agony and pain during childbirth.

In another investigative report. We exposed bribery and corruption at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos state,  Nigeria’s centre of Excellence.

Over the years, we have explored issues of public accountability, infrastructural deficit, access to education and healthcare, environmental crimes, and gender-based violence.

IMPACTS

A few months after we reported on how residents in Ibadan, Oyo state capital had polluted rivers, bridges and highways through open defecation, the Oyo state government passed the Open Defecation Prohibition bill in the state.

Also, we exposed the neglect of the official website of the Ogun state government, making free access to information difficult for residents of the state, and the media. Days after our report, the state government revamped the website and furnished it with up-to-date information.

Our investigative reports continue to inspire actions for solutions, and changes in policies. We are proud to say that our excellent journalists have made an impact with their reports across Nigeria’s Southwest region, and we hope to expand our reach to other parts of the country and Africa.

THE BIRTH OF PTIJF

In our vision to expand and improve our lens in upholding social justice and democracy in Africa; In our selfless resolve to breed a new crop of politically- aware, socially-conscious, and solution-seeking leaders; In our mission to expose social ills and demand public accountability through impactful investigative journalism, we launched the PLATFORM TIMES INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM FOUNDATION (PTIJF).

We shall train, mentor and offer assistance to the new generation of journalists in advocating social reforms and justice.

PTIJF will focus its scope of operation on the following areas: Fact-checking and investigative reporting, climate and gender reporting, solution journalism and Free press advocacy. Its operations will be based on credible data gathering, and human interests, in line with best global practices. It will uphold the principles of democracy, including public accountability, social justice, equality, and freedom of expression.

Thanks for your interest in our story. We will love to hear yours; we will appreciate your contribution to our journey, and we are definitely excited to be a part of your journey.