…Tasks editors on newsroom fact-checking, AI fake news
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has said that while the ballot is important, democracy does not begin and end at the polling station, but depended on citizens having access to credible information with which to make informed decisions.
This was as he declared that the amendments to the Electoral Act signed by President Tinubu in February 2026, deserve careful public examination.
He therefore tasked the media to explain in simple language what changed and its implications for parties, candidates and voters.
Idris, who stated these on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at the 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference, ANEC 2026, in Enugu, stressed that the quality of information available to citizens will matter enormously as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which has scheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027 and Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections for February 6, 2027.
Speaking on the theme; “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive” and sub-theme “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election,” the information minister who was represented by Mr. Ali M. Ali, Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), warned newsrooms against becoming part of the political contest.
He urged the media to apply the same discipline to reporting government performance, stressing that the job of the professional journalist is not to amplify every claim simply because it is politically attractive.
In his words; “The job is to establish what is true, provide context and allow citizens to make their own judgments”.
The minister said that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the country has gone through major economic reforms including petrol subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms, with government reporting improvements in revenue mobilisation, increased resources to states and local governments and stronger investor confidence.
Idris noted that as of May 2026, more than 2,700 kilometres of highways and major roads were under construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation, while rail projects, power, housing, agriculture and digital connectivity investments are advancing, adding that there are also interventions in education and human capital including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), and programmes targeting youths, small businesses and digital skills.
He said; “These are matters that deserve proper reporting. A responsible press should neither exaggerate achievements nor ignore them. It should examine them, verify them, ask difficult questions”.
Idris therefore tasked Nigerian editors to make verification a core newsroom culture as the country enters the 2027 election season, warning that artificial intelligence has made it possible for lies to look real and for citizens to stop believing anything.
According to him; editors occupy a critical position because they determine what enters public conversation, how issues are framed and what citizens see on phones and social media, a responsibility now made more difficult by AI.
Idris further said; “Artificial intelligence has made it possible to create convincing photographs, videos, audio recordings and documents that may appear genuine when they are not.
“A false statement can be produced in the voice of a public official. A fabricated video can be circulated within minutes. The greater danger is not just that people may believe a lie, but that they may stop believing anything at all.
“When the public can no longer distinguish between what is true and what is fabricated, trust in the media, elections and public institutions begins to suffer.
“Fact-checking can no longer be an afterthought. Verification has to be part of the newsroom culture. Editors must ask basic but important questions: Who said this? What is the evidence? When was this photograph taken? Is this video original? Has the source been independently verified?” he stated.
The minister specifically charged editors to pay more attention to governance at the local government level, noting the Federal Government’s push for financial autonomy for the 774 local councils.
He further said; “Local governments are closest to the people and are responsible for services that affect everyday life. Reporters should track how resources are used and what projects are delivered”.
Idris called for stronger collaboration with fact-checking organisations, technology experts and INEC, just as he challenged newsrooms to invest in digital verification skills and clear procedures for handling AI-generated content.
He stated that the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation is strengthening media and information literacy through Nigeria’s partnership with UNESCO on the International Media and Information Literacy Institute.
Idris further said; “The task before us is bigger than protecting the credibility of one election. It is about protecting the credibility of our democracy.
“Let us ensure that technology does not become a tool for deceiving citizens, and that, when Nigerians go to the polls in 2027, they do so in an information environment where facts can still be found, verified and trusted”.
