ANEC 2026:Gov Namadi Tasks Nigerian Media On Fact-Checking, Media Literacy, Ethical Use Of Technology
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has urged the Nigerian media to continue to invest in verification systems, newsroom fact-checking capacity, media literacy, ethical use of technology, and collaboration across platforms to enable them to detect and debunk harmful disinformation early.
Namadi made the call in a goodwill message he personally delivered at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors’ Conference(ANEC) 2026 currently holding in Enugu, capital of Enugu State, with the Theme:”The Ballot, The Media And The Task Of Keeping Democracy Alive,” and the Sub-theme:”When Lies Look Real: Detecting And Debunking AI Misinformation,Before, During And After Election.”
“I am particularly excited by the choice of the Theme for this year’s conference: “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive.” It is both timely and profound.
“The Subtheme: “When Lies Look Real…”, is equally compelling. In this era of digital transformation, AI-based disinformation is among the most serious threats to modern democracy because it can imitate reality, manipulate public opinion, inflame tensions, and undermine confidence in electoral outcomes.
“Artificial intelligence, image-editing software, and other emerging ICT tools can now generate and manipulate texts, images, audio, and video so convincingly that falsehood can readily appear true,” he said.
For this reason, the Governor said,
members of the Guild, and all Nigerians must be equipped to detect and debunk disinformation, especially before, during, and after elections.
“The Theme reminds us that credible elections depend not only on the ballot box, but also on well-informed citizens who can make their choices free from deceptive narratives, lies that look real, or AI-generated falsehoods designed to appear real.
“The media therefore bears a vital responsibility to provide accurate and objective reporting before, during, and after every electoral contest. To perform this role effectively, the media must strengthen fact-checking and verification, uphold professional ethics, and equip journalists to detect and counter disinformation without compromising editorial independence,” he said.
Namadi further stated that the challenge before editors should not be about “breaking news,” – who breaks the news first – but about ensuring responsible publishing, protecting the truth, and helping citizens to understand it with clarity and confidence.
Beyond these practical measures, he said,the Guild must continue to promote integrity, courage, restraint, and a deep sense of national responsibility within the profession.
“Even as it celebrates excellence, the Guild must also hold erring members accountable and uphold the ethical standards that give journalism its honour.
“The power of the pen, and, today, the keyboard, is profound: it can inform, enlighten, reconcile, and advance development, but it can also spread malice and falsehood, deepen hatred, and sow discord among individuals, communities, institutions, and nations,” he said.
The Governor also called for the regulation of the social media space so as to minimise the spread of falsehood.
“Fortunately, Nigeria already has relevant laws. Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, as amended in 2024, criminalises knowingly false online messages intended to cause a breakdown of law and order or threaten life.Section 123 of the Electoral Act 2022 prohibits specified false statements about candidates and their withdrawal during elections.
“Our task, therefore, is to strengthen public awareness, ensure fair and consistent enforcement, and close any gaps through clear, proportionate, and rights-respecting measures. Such measures must deter deliberate falsehood, incitement, and character assassination without imperilling legitimate expression or press freedom,” Namadi added.