Presidency trains over 100 Northern influencers to counter fake news

The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Enlightenment has trained over 100 social media influencers from Northern Nigeria. The workshop, held in Kano, focused on equipping participants with the skills to effectively counter disinformation and misinformation online.

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The workshop will equip them with skills on how to counter disinformation and misinformation.

Mr. Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, the Special Assistant, stated that the training is crucial in addressing the rise of social media videos, AI-generated pictures, and clips designed to create disaffection or mislead the public. He emphasized that these skills will empower influencers to use social media more effectively for information dissemination.

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We see a lot of social media videos, AI-generated pictures, and clips designed to create disaffection or misinform the public.

The workshop also aimed to educate influencers about the "giant strides" of the Tinubu administration and to foster national unity. Abdulaziz highlighted the importance of encouraging influencers to express their opinions and participate in democratic processes responsibly, while cautioning against recklessness in social media use.

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These skills will help them to use social media more effectively for information dissemination.

Dr. Musa Abdullahi-Sufi, a Development Scholar, who presented during the training, urged influencers to focus on development stories and national achievements rather than negative content. The training covered ethical social media use, fact-checking, and responsible digital engagement, all with the goal of changing negative narratives about Nigeria.

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The workshop would also educate influencers on the giant strides of the Tinubu administration and on issues that promote national unity.