Code for Africa, Pulitzer Center, and Earth Genome join forces to launch groundbreaking satellite monitoring platform
Three leading organisations in data journalism, investigative reporting, and environmental monitoring are partnering to launch Africa Mining Watch. This innovative platform harnesses satellite imagery and machine learning to detect and track illegal mining operations across the continent.
The collaboration brings together Code for Africa, the continent’s largest civic technology and open data network; the Pulitzer Center, a global leader in supporting international journalism; and Earth Genome, pioneers in environmental data science and monitoring solutions.
Building on proven technology
Africa Mining Watch is modeled after the successful Amazon Mining Watch platform (amazonminingwatch.org), adapting its open-source framework to address the unique challenges facing African ecosystems. The platform will leverage cutting-edge satellite imagery analysis and machine learning algorithms to identify mining activities in near real-time, with initial focus on the Congo Basin and Democratic Republic of Congo, where illegal gold mining has been driving significant deforestation in protected reserves.
Empowering African journalists
A cornerstone of the initiative is a comprehensive mapathon bringing together more than 20 journalists from across Africa. This collaborative event will train reporters to use the Africa Mining Watch platform, helping them identify story leads and develop data-driven investigations into illegal mining operations and their environmental and social impacts.
Code for Africa will work closely with African media and journalists to maximise the platform’s investigative potential, tapping into established networks including the CfA and Oxpeckers environmental journalism network. Stories produced using Africa Mining Watch data will be syndicated across major media outlets in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, and beyond, with French-language support to reach audiences in the DRC and francophone Africa.
Open data for accountability
The Africa Mining Watch platform will serve as a public resource, providing transparent, accessible data on mining activities across the continent. By combining Earth Genome’s sophisticated data modeling with Code for Africa’s expertise in making complex datasets accessible to journalists and civil society, the platform aims to strengthen accountability and support evidence-based advocacy for environmental protection.
The platform will feature a dedicated stories section showcasing investigations and findings from fellows and grantees, creating a growing repository of data-driven reporting on Africa’s mining challenges.
Looking ahead
This partnership represents a significant step forward in using technology for environmental accountability in Africa. By combining satellite monitoring, machine learning, and investigative journalism, Africa Mining Watch aims to shed light on illegal mining operations that threaten the continent’s precious ecosystems and communities.
The pilot launch will focus on establishing the technical infrastructure, producing initial investigative stories, and demonstrating the platform’s potential to support deeper journalism projects across Africa.
For more information about Africa Mining Watch and our upcoming mapathon, visit africaminingwatch.org