Code for Africa Civic Graph Fellowship 2026 in South Africa: Fully Supported Opportunity to Build Open Civic Data and Strengthen Information Integrity

The Code for Africa (CfA) Civic Graph Fellowship 2026 is now accepting applications from aspiring civic technologists, analysts, researchers, and university students in South Africa who are passionate about open data, democracy, and information integrity.

Through its Open Data Initiative, Code for Africa is offering seven part-time Civic Graph Fellowships aimed at strengthening civic data ecosystems and supporting the development of standardized, open-source civic information across South Africa. The fellowship presents a unique opportunity for participants to contribute to a high-impact project focused on mapping politically exposed and politically influential individuals ahead of South Africa’s municipal elections scheduled for November 2026.

This fellowship is part of a collaborative initiative between Code for Africa and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, designed to strengthen information integrity and improve transparency in public governance through open civic data systems.

About the Civic Graph Fellowship

The Civic Graph Fellowship is a three-month, part-time programme that focuses on collecting, verifying, and organizing civic data related to Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and Politically Influential Persons (PIPs) in South Africa.

As elections approach, the need for accurate, accessible, and verified civic information becomes increasingly important. The fellowship seeks to address this need by building comprehensive profiles of political actors using open-source data collection methodologies and standardized civic data formats.

Selected fellows will work closely with Code for Africa’s iLab team to gather, validate, and organize critical information that contributes to transparency, accountability, and democratic participation.

The project aims to create interoperable civic datasets that can be used by journalists, researchers, civil society organizations, fact-checkers, and citizens interested in understanding the political landscape.

What Fellows Will Do

Participants selected for the programme will undertake a variety of research and data collection activities designed to build reliable civic information systems.

Key responsibilities include:

• Identifying Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and Politically Influential Persons (PIPs)
• Collecting and verifying publicly available civic information
• Gathering official social media profiles and digital identifiers
• Researching political figures using verified public records
• Maintaining structured civic databases
• Applying quality assurance measures to validate collected information
• Collaborating with the Code for Africa iLab research team

The primary sources used for identifying political actors will include:

• Electoral commission datasets
• Government gazettes
• Public registries
• Official government publications
• Verified institutional databases

Fellows will also collect publicly available information such as:

• Gender data
• Official Facebook pages
• Verified X (formerly Twitter) accounts
• Instagram profiles
• Campaign websites
• Personal websites
• Wikipedia profiles
• Other public digital identifiers

Importance of Data Verification

One of the most critical aspects of the fellowship is ensuring the accuracy of collected information.

Participants will be expected to verify that:

• Social media accounts belong to the correct individual
• URLs point to official or authentic channels
• Verification badges are present where applicable
• Profile details match known public biographies
• Public records support the identity information collected

These verification procedures help prevent misinformation, impersonation, and misidentification while improving the reliability of civic datasets.

Working with the Troll Tracker Platform

A key component of the initiative involves integrating verified political profiles into the Troll Tracker platform.

Troll Tracker uses advanced technologies such as:

• Machine Learning (ML)
• Natural Language Processing (NLP)

The platform monitors public communication by political actors and helps identify trends in messaging over time. It can also flag deleted posts and detect potentially harmful content from monitored accounts.

By combining civic data with digital monitoring systems, the project contributes to stronger information integrity and accountability during election periods.

Fellowship Benefits

Selected fellows will receive several benefits throughout the programme.

Monthly Stipend

Participants will receive a competitive monthly stipend during the fellowship period.

Mentorship

Fellows will work under the guidance of experienced professionals from Code for Africa’s iLab team, gaining practical experience in civic technology, open-source intelligence, and data verification.

Hands-On Experience

The programme provides real-world experience in:

• Civic technology
• Open-source intelligence (OSINT)
• Political data research
• Information verification
• Data management
• Election integrity initiatives

Professional Networking

Participants will gain exposure to one of Africa’s largest civic technology organizations and collaborate with professionals working in democracy, governance, media, and technology sectors.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Strong working knowledge of Google Sheets and spreadsheet formulas
• Fluency in English
• Fluency in at least one of the following languages:
  • Afrikaans
  • isiXhosa
  • isiZulu
  • Sepedi
  • Sesotho
  • Setswana
• Experience collecting data from social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook, X, YouTube, and Telegram
• Ability to follow open-source data collection standards
• Strong communication and teamwork skills

Applicants who are analysts, technologists, or university students with civic data experience are particularly encouraged to apply.

About Code for Africa

Code for Africa is Africa’s largest civic technology and open-data incubator. The organization supports digital democracy initiatives, investigative journalism projects, and open-data ecosystems that empower citizens with actionable information.

Through innovative technology solutions, data-driven projects, and civic engagement initiatives, Code for Africa continues to strengthen accountability, transparency, and public participation across the continent.

Final Thoughts

The Code for Africa Civic Graph Fellowship 2026 offers a remarkable opportunity for South African researchers, students, analysts, and civic technology enthusiasts to contribute to democratic accountability while developing highly valuable data and research skills.

By participating in this fellowship, successful applicants will gain practical experience in civic data collection, open-source intelligence, information verification, and election transparency initiatives while working alongside one of Africa’s leading civic technology organizations.

For individuals passionate about democracy, data transparency, civic engagement, and public-interest technology, this fellowship represents an exceptional platform for professional growth and meaningful impact.

Deadline : 28th June, 2026

APPLY HERE

For more information about this opportunity, click here

For more global opportunities, click here.