Nelly Kalu

Nelly Kalu is a multiformat broadcast and investigative journalist with extensive experience in fact-checking, disinformation investigations, and audience engagement across radio, television, podcasting, digital media, media consultancy, training, and advocacy.

An alumna of the Radio Netherlands Training School (RNTC) and Dubawa,, Nelly is skilled in research, OSINT methodologies, digital investigation, solutions journalism, media innovation, and campaigns.

Passionate about amplifying diverse voices in African media, Nelly advocates for free press and meaningful dialogue that centres minority voices—a theme she eloquently addressed in her TEDx talk titled “The Distant Reality Of Feminism and Gender Equality”, hosted by Lagos State University (LASU).

She is a member of Wanadata, a pan-African network of female journalists, data scientists, and technologists, and has contributed as a host and panelist with Radio Days Africa.

Her superpower lies in intersectionality, connecting seemingly abstract ideas to simplify complex issues and drive sustainable impact.

As a 2022 World Press Institute Fellow, Nelly studied media operations and business models in the United States, exchanging cross-border insights on achieving press independence in Nigeria 

Nelly is also a certified trainer in Solutions Journalism and Environmental Journalism, accredited by the Solutions Journalism Network, and shaped by programs like the Environmental Reporting Committee (ERC) and the Solutions Journalism Trainer of Trainers initiative.

Her dedication to capacity-building is evident in her facilitation and training roles at institutions such as the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Training School, Broadcast Radio MasterClass (BRMC), and the UNHCR Journalist Mentorship Programme.

In addition to her journalism expertise, Nelly has extensive experience in news product and project management, with a strong focus on developing innovative strategies, overseeing cross-functional teams, and driving impactful journalism products from conception to execution.

Currently serving as Project & Product Manager at the Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ), Nelly is also a fellow of the ICFJ Leap Trust Innovation Solutions Challenge, the Craig Newmark School of Journalism (CUNY) Product Immersion Program in New York, and the News Product Management Certification (NPMC) by the News Product Alliance (NPA).

Nelly Kalu remains committed to advancing journalism that informs, engages, and drives meaningful change.  She is drawn to opportunities with a strong editorial, product, and project synergy, combining her expertise in journalism, product innovation, and strategic project management.

Nelly Kalu