With movement restrictions in place due to Covid-19, unverified information still found a way of travelling, whether among family, colleagues or strangers – via WhatsApp.
Tag: development
Donald Trump’s ‘foreign policy’: Fact-checking US$166 bn China-Africa trade claim
Claim
Trade between Africa and China has grown rapidly, reaching US$166 billion in 2011.
Source: Mail & Guardian newspaper (19 October 2020)
mostly-correct
Verdict
Available data confirms the trade figure quoted by the Mail & Guardian. Trade between Africa and China had grown by at least another US$20 billion by 2018, while US trade with the continent decreased.
Nigeria’s population, economy and history: fact-checking Buhari’s independence day speech
Claims
Eight claims about Nigeria’s population, economy and history
Source: President Muhammadu Buhari, independence day speech (1 October 2020)
checked
Verdict
Five correct, two unproven and one misleading
World Bank uses outdated stats as it announces $500m Nigeria education plan
Claims
Two claims about the state of education in Nigeria’s northern states.
Source: The World Bank (July 2020)
checked
Verdict
One incorrect, one unproven
Kenya’s ex-prime minister Odinga mangles his numbers on government revenue share in Nigeria
Claims
Three claims about how revenue is shared between Nigeria’s three levels of government.
Source: Kenya’s former prime minister Raila Odinga (August 2020)
checked
Verdict
One correct, two incorrect
Is Nigeria ‘officially broke’? Why prominent economist’s warning needs a larger view
Claims
Four claims on the Nigerian government’s revenue and debt payments.
Source: Dr Obadiah Mailafia, former deputy governor of the Central Bank Of Nigeria (June 2020)
checked
Verdict
Two correct, one misleading, one incorrect
Tax incentives cost Kenya 6% of GDP, but there’s no global ‘standard’
Claim
The standard for tax expenditures is about 2% of gross domestic product.
Source: Ukur Yatani, Kenya’s cabinet secretary for the treasury (June 2020)
incorrect
Verdict
Experts said there was no “standard” or even average for tax expenditures.
In South Africa’s post-coronavirus budget, more than half of tax revenue goes to public servant salaries
Claim
Out of every R1 paid in taxes, 58 cents goes towards paying the salaries of public servants
Source: Leon Schreiber, Democratic Alliance shadow minister for public service and administration (June 2020)
mostly-correct
Verdict
51.4% of total tax revenue goes to public servant salaries, or 51.4 cents out of every R1 in tax.
It’s a crisis! Fact-checking top opposition leader’s claims about Kenya’s 2020 budget
Claims
Six claims criticising the administration, following the announcement of the budget for the 2020/21 financial year.
Source: Musalia Mudavadi, party leader, Amani National Congress (11 June 2020 in an interview on KTN News)
checked
Verdict
One correct, one mostly correct, one misleading, three incorrect.
Fact-checking Buhari’s Democracy Day claims about his economic achievements
Claims
Eight claims about current government achievements.
Source: Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari (12 June 2020)
checked
Verdict
A range of ratings from correct to misleading and unproven.