Nigeria, UK Strengthen Partnership Against Fake News, Disinformation

Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK) have agreed to strengthen cooperation to tackle misinformation, disinformation, and emerging threats to the information environment ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja when the new British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Peter Vowles, paid him a courtesy visit.

The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral relations, improving public communication, promoting media collaboration and exploring areas of cooperation to address shared information challenges.

Idris identified the growing spread of fake news and misinformation, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections, as a major threat to electoral credibility and democratic stability.

“I think the threat of fake news and misinformation, and how that can be an obstacle to a credible election, is one of the biggest challenges we have as Nigerians now,” he said.

The Minister said the Federal Government was working with the United Kingdom and other international partners to promote responsible information management and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.

He welcomed the British High Commissioner’s interest in Nigeria’s information environment and assured him of the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation in addressing the challenges.

“We are working hard in conjunction with them, as we do with other countries and partners, to make sure that we have a smooth electoral process,” Idris stated.

He described the visit as an opportunity to strengthen the longstanding relationship between the two countries and to explore practical ways to address challenges posed by artificial intelligence, fake news, and the rapidly evolving digital media landscape.

The Minister also emphasised the importance of international partnerships in addressing the growing complexities of information management in the digital age.

In his remarks, the British High Commissioner, Peter Vowles, said the visit provided an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations and gain a better understanding of Nigeria’s information landscape.

Vowles, who has been in Nigeria for about eight weeks, noted that both countries faced similar challenges, particularly the spread of misinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence.

He expressed optimism about expanding cooperation with Nigeria by developing common approaches to address these challenges.

“That kind of area is something we might be able to work more together on, shared challenges and how we have shared approaches to tackling these challenges,” he said.