BY JULIET EKWENUGO, Abuja
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani; LEADERSHIP Newspaper Group News Editor, Dr Sunday Isuwa; and President of Vision Africa, Archbishop Dr Sunday Onuoha, have warned that fake news, deepfakes and artificial intelligence-generated content could undermine Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, calling on journalists to strengthen fact-checking and protect public trust.
They gave the warning at the launch of Isuwa’s book, Digital Shift in Nigeria’s Newspaper Industry, held at the Army Resource Centre, Abuja, where they also highlighted the threats posed by shrinking newsrooms, political interference and commercial pressures to credible journalism.
Sani, represented by the Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, urged journalists to develop the skills required to navigate technological changes while maintaining professional standards.
Maiyaki said advances in technology were transforming newsroom operations, reducing production teams and requiring individual journalists to take on multiple responsibilities, including reporting, filming and producing video content.
He urged media practitioners to embrace innovation and improve their professional skills, warning that artificial intelligence was also affecting employment across creative industries.
The commissioner, however, stressed that technology should not come at the expense of accuracy and responsible reporting, particularly as Nigeria approaches another general election.
He recalled that fabricated recordings and synthetic voices had featured in political discourse during previous election cycles, urging journalists to investigate claims and verify information before publication.
Maiyaki said responsible journalism remained essential to protecting democracy, promoting national unity and maintaining stability.
“Campaigns will end, posters will disappear, and some candidates will win while others will lose. But the most important thing is the survival, unity and progress of Nigeria,” he said.
He commended Isuwa for examining the transformation of the newspaper industry and its implications for journalism, and announced a donation of N1m towards the purchase of two copies of the book.
Presenting a paper titled The Media’s Crucial Role in the 2027 General Election: Navigating Truth and Trust, Onuoha, represented by the Methodist Bishop of Kubwa Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr Frederick Onoja, warned that misinformation, political interference and economic pressures could weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
Onuoha, a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo on Privatisation and Executive Director of Nigeria Interfaith Action, said elections were not only contests for political power but also battles over information, public confidence and the legitimacy of democratic institutions.
He said voters needed reliable information about candidates, political parties, public policies, government performance and the electoral process to make informed choices.
According to him, social media, digital influencers and artificial intelligence have made it easier for false claims to spread before journalists can verify or debunk them.
He warned that manipulated videos, fabricated photographs, cloned voices and other AI-generated content could mislead voters, inflame ethnic and religious tensions, and undermine confidence in election results.
“Journalists can no longer rely exclusively on traditional questions such as whether a photograph or video looks genuine,” he said.
Onuoha urged newsrooms to establish clear procedures for detecting deepfakes, tracing the origins of suspicious materials and obtaining independent confirmation before publishing election-related claims.
He also called for stronger collaboration among media organisations, fact-checkers, researchers and civil society groups to counter misinformation, noting that no newsroom could independently track every false claim circulating online.
On editorial independence, the cleric cautioned media owners against allowing political advertising and commercial interests to dictate news coverage.
He urged them to maintain a clear distinction between business operations and editorial decisions, warning against presenting paid political content as independent journalism.
Onuoha also stressed that the same professional standards should apply to the government, opposition parties, political candidates and other influential actors.
He said the pressure to break election news must not override the obligation to verify information, particularly reports involving electoral violence, allegations of rigging and election results.
According to him, inaccurate reports could trigger panic, damage reputations and erode public trust. He urged journalists to distinguish verified facts from political opinions and unsubstantiated allegations, while giving individuals and institutions accused of wrongdoing the opportunity to respond.
He further called for clear guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence in news production, including procedures for verifying and disclosing AI-generated content.
Responsibility for credible elections, he added, extended beyond journalists to media owners, political actors, technology companies and citizens.
In his remarks, Isuwa said digital technology had transformed how news was produced, distributed and consumed, allowing information to reach audiences within seconds through websites, social media and mobile platforms.
However, he noted that the changes had brought challenges, including misinformation, shifting business models and growing pressure on journalists to prioritise speed over accuracy.
“These changes matter to all of us, not just journalists and newspaper publishers. They matter to students learning to assess information, educators preparing the next generation, and every reader who wants to distinguish reliable reporting from misleading information,” he said.
Isuwa stressed that technological advancement alone could not guarantee quality journalism, noting that ethical practices, sound professional judgement and commitment to public service remained fundamental.
“Technology alone cannot guarantee good journalism. That still depends on ethical practices, sound professional judgement and a commitment to serving the public,” he said.
He advocated improved media literacy to help citizens assess information critically and distinguish credible reports from misleading content, particularly as digital platforms continued to reshape public communication.
The author said the book was intended to contribute to discussions about the future of journalism in Nigeria and Africa, particularly among students, journalists, educators and other media practitioners.
He called for partnerships to expand access to the publication and promote media literacy, especially in communities where access to media education remained limited.
Isuwa thanked his family, colleagues, mentors, readers and other stakeholders for supporting the publication, urging readers to engage with the book and offer constructive feedback to advance journalism in Nigeria.
