The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged Nigerian editors to strengthen verification systems in newsrooms to combat the growing threat of artificial intelligence-driven disinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He made the call at the 24th All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu on Thursday, September 24, 2026, on the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive”.
Idris said the preponderance of artificial intelligence to create convincing photographs, videos, audio recordings and documents had made the task of distinguishing genuine information from fabricated content increasingly difficult.
The Minister who was represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali Muhammad Alli, said that the danger went beyond citizens believing individual falsehoods, warning that widespread exposure to convincing fabrications could undermine public trust in the media, elections and public institutions.
He urged editors to make verification an integral part of newsroom operations rather than treating fact-checking as something that happens after publication.
According to him, journalists should routinely establish who made a claim, examine the evidence supporting it, verify the source of photographs and videos, and distinguish clearly between facts, allegations and opinions.
He also stressed the need to ensure that headlines accurately reflect the stories they introduce.
Idris said the media had a responsibility to provide citizens with credible information with which to make informed decisions, particularly as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
