The
European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) II
programme has convened stakeholders for a Technical Summit on Elevating
Fact-Checking Capabilities of Journalists, aimed at strengthening media
responses to misinformation and disinformation ahead of upcoming
elections.
The
intervention forms part of technical support measures under the Support to
Media Component of the Programme, focused on enhancing media professionalism
and safeguarding electoral integrity. The engagement took place in
Abuja on Tuesday.
The
summit examined the growing threat posed by misinformation, disinformation and
malinformation to Nigeria’s democratic process. Participants observed that
false narratives, manipulated content and viral falsehoods increasingly shape
public discourse during elections, undermining trust in institutions,
heightening political tensions and weakening confidence
in electoral outcomes.
The
engagement brought together fact-checking organisations, newsroom leaders,
journalists and other media stakeholders to strengthen coordination in
detecting, verifying and countering harmful information flows.
Discussions
centred on equipping journalists with advanced verification skills, including
artificial intelligence-powered fact-checking tools, digital investigative
techniques, and practical approaches for debunking viral claims circulating
across social media and other platforms.
Participants
also engaged in practical exercises on real-time verification of digital
content, aimed at improving newsroom response to fast-moving information
disorders during election periods.
The
summit featured the introduction of an AI Fact-Checking Tool Guide designed to
support journalists and fact-checkers in adopting technology-driven approaches
to identifying and addressing false information more effectively.
Strengthening
fact-checking capacity was underscored as critical to
protecting electoral integrity, reinforcing public trust and
supporting democratic stability, particularly as information manipulation
continues to pose risks to credible elections in Nigeria.
The
engagement formed part of broader efforts to promote coordinated media-sector
action to mitigate the impact of misinformation on Nigeria’s evolving
democratic and digital landscape by the programme.
