DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Nigeria media, CSOs launch #CheckBeforeYouPost campaign against election fake news

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Journalists, fact-checkers, and civil society organizations launched a nationwide #CheckBeforeYouPost campaign to combat misinformation ahead of Nigeria's Osun State governorship election and the 2027 general elections.
  • Participants at a Lagos workshop noted that coordinated misinformation threatens electoral integrity, political stability, and public trust, with AI posing new risks through synthetic media.
  • The campaign emphasizes collaboration among media, civil society, tech platforms, and electoral stakeholders to monitor and respond to misinformation, particularly its impact on vulnerable groups.

Journalists, fact-checkers, and civil society representatives have launched a nationwide campaign to combat fake news and hate speech in Nigeria. The #CheckBeforeYouPost initiative aims to safeguard upcoming elections, including the Osun State governorship election and the 2027 general elections.

The campaign emerged from a three-day workshop in Lagos themed "Truth at the Ballot: Strengthening Media and Civil Society for Democratic and Peaceful Elections in Nigeria." Participants expressed deep concern over the growing threat of coordinated misinformation, which they believe can undermine electoral integrity, fuel political tension, and erode public trust in democratic institutions.

Women, young people, persons with disabilities and minority groups remain the most vulnerable to online harassment, coordinated attacks and hate speech during election periods.

— CommuniquéParticipants noted the particular vulnerability of certain groups to online harassment during elections.

The workshop, organized by Fundación para la Internacionalización de las Administraciones Públicas in partnership with FactCheckAfrica and supported by the European Union, brought together diverse stakeholders from Nigeria's South-West and South-East regions. They observed that the spread of false information on digital platforms significantly influences voter behavior and weakens confidence in electoral processes.

Artificial Intelligence was identified as a double-edged sword, offering opportunities for journalism while simultaneously introducing new risks through synthetic media and automated misinformation campaigns. The communiqué highlighted that electoral misinformation increasingly exploits ethnic, religious, regional, and political divisions, necessitating proactive monitoring and rapid response mechanisms. Lessons from past elections underscore that unchecked misinformation contributes to voter suppression, political violence, and declining public confidence. The participants stressed that collaboration among all stakeholders is critical for safeguarding future elections.

Electoral misinformation increasingly exploits ethnic, religious, regional and political divisions, making proactive monitoring and rapid response mechanisms essential.

— CommuniquéThe communiqué highlighted the divisive nature of electoral misinformation and the need for swift responses.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog