The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged public officers to equip themselves with media and information literacy to avoid falling victim to misleading content, falsehoods, and biased narratives.
Speaking at the second Spokespersons Summit organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation yesterday in Abuja, Idris emphasised that in today’s media-saturated world—where everyone, from PR professionals to CEOs, functions as a spokesperson—the ability to decipher, analyse, and evaluate information is no longer optional but essential.
“Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I want to seize the opportunity of this summit of fellow professionals to draw our attention to the need to embrace what is called Information and Media Literacy—a composite concept first adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2008, which combines the competencies of information literacy and media literacy.
“Today, in a world where everyone is a spokesperson—whether a PR practitioner or a chief executive in the public or private sectors—the imperative for media literacy becomes even more paramount. It equips individuals with the tools to decipher, analyse, and evaluate messages conveyed through various media channels, enabling them to make informed decisions and engage with media content responsibly.
“Lately, due to the lack of media literacy—the inability to analyse and contextualise media content in order to verify authenticity—public officers, and indeed the general public, have become increasingly prone to the cankerworm of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation,” he said.
Idris stated that through media literacy practices, spokespersons can continually enhance their ability to evaluate news articles, identify potential biases, assess the reliability of sources, and adopt fact-checking and verification mechanisms to effectively distinguish between accurate reporting and misleading content.
The minister disclosed that, as part of efforts to provide a platform for imparting media and information literacy to spokespersons and public officials, his ministry has reached an advanced stage in the establishment of the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Institute—the first of its kind in the world—which will be sited within the precincts of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja.
“In fact, I have just returned from Paris, France, where I held a meeting with senior UNESCO officials, during which the impending take-off of the Institute featured prominently,” he added.
Idris also noted that his ministry succeeded last year in the caderisation of Public Relations in the Federal Civil Service, aimed at deepening professional practice and improving the quality of public communication.
“What this means is that Public Relations has now been designated as a standalone cadre in the Federal Civil Service, effective December 2023. What used to be known as the Information Officer Cadre has now been re-designated as the ‘Information and Public Relations Officer Cadre’ and ‘Executive Officer (Information and Public Relations)’. Let me add that the NIPR was a key advocate in achieving this enhanced recognition that Public Relations now enjoys within the Federal Civil Service,” he said.
The minister also used the occasion to re-emphasise the commitment of the Tinubu administration to free speech and responsible creative expression.
“On our part, we will continue to work to broaden our nation’s vibrant media ecosystem and grow the economic and investment opportunities within it,” he said.
He further commended the President of NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, for introducing an outstanding feature to this year’s Spokespersons Summit—the Information Ministerial Clinic—where former Ministers of Information, who served as Chief Spokespersons of past administrations, shared their experiences in managing challenging situations while in office.
Also, NIPR president Dr. Ike Neliaku highlighted the transformative journey that birthed the Summit—from a critical conversation around the failures of public spokespersons to a national platform fostering communication excellence.
“This Summit was conceived from a moment of deep reflection and concern,” he said. “Today, it stands as a beacon for equipping Nigeria’s spokespersons with the tools, ethics, and ideas they need to shape narratives and build trust in our institutions.”
He noted that with participants drawn from the public, private, and civil society sectors, the Summit serves as a melting pot for public communication professionals, reputation managers, and perception strategists to exchange insights and sharpen their craft.
A highlight of this year’s Summit was the conferment of Fellowship status on distinguished Nigerians, including Dr. John Momoh, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the field of communication.
Neliaku emphasised that the Fellowship is strictly merit-based and reflective of a high standard of professional excellence.
Former Ministers of Information—Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief John Nwodo, Mr. Frank Nweke (Jnr), Labaran Maku, and Lai Mohammed—participated in the opening ceremony of the Information Ministerial Clinic.
