The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has called for stronger collaboration among electoral stakeholders, the media, technology platforms, academia and civil society to protect Nigeria’s elections from misinformation, disinformation and the misuse of emerging technologies.
Mallam Issa-Onilu made the call in Abuja while delivering a goodwill message at the 13th Annual Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria, ACSPN.
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The conference, themed “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication,” focused on the changing role of technology and communication in Africa’s electoral processes.
The NOA Director-General urged stakeholders to promote information integrity, strengthen digital and media literacy, and encourage the responsible use of artificial intelligence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He noted that although digital technology and artificial intelligence could enhance civic participation and engagement, they could also accelerate the spread of false information, manipulated content and deepfakes capable of undermining public confidence in elections.
Mallam Issa-Onilu said the NOA remained committed to informing, educating, listening to and mobilising citizens through its nationwide grassroots structure, while promoting national values and responsible citizenship.
He cautioned that social media trends should not automatically be regarded as representative of the views of the wider population, urging citizens and media practitioners to verify information before sharing it.
The NOA DG also stressed the importance of distinguishing legitimate criticism from misinformation and disinformation, identifying institutional coordination, digital literacy, transparency in AI-generated and sponsored political communication, community-based communication and stronger links between research and policy as key priorities.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Ojo Amupitan, represented by National Commissioner Professor Sani Muhammad, emphasised the importance of technology, professional communication and stakeholder collaboration in strengthening electoral credibility.
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Professor Muhammad said technologies such as biometric accreditation and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, could improve electoral integrity and transparency, but stressed that technology alone could not guarantee credible elections.
He identified effective institutions, professionalism, transparency, accountability and public trust as equally essential to credible electoral processes.
He called for accurate and timely dissemination of electoral information and closer collaboration among INEC, the media, academia, civil society, technology experts and other stakeholders.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Professor Azeez Adesina, said the conference provided an opportunity to examine the evolving communication environment and the intersection between media, technology and elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He called for stronger partnerships among academia, the media, government, regulators, civil society and technology companies, while urging young scholars to embrace innovation, research and professional ethics.
Also, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, representing the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, called for practical measures to promote responsible use of technology in electoral communication and highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence-driven engagement platforms.
The National President of ACSPN, Professor Rotimi Williams Olatunji, said Africa had entered a new digital electoral era and urged Nigeria to take the lead in technological innovation while protecting electoral integrity.
Professor Olatunji warned against AI-enabled disinformation and deepfakes and called for an integrated electoral information integrity framework involving INEC, political parties, the media, technology platforms, civil society and communication scholars.
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The conference featured ACSPN Fellowship and Special Awards, including posthumous recognition for Professors Lai Oso and Dayo Alao.
Professor Olatunji reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to bridging the gap between media practice and scholarship and urged stakeholders to translate the conference outcomes into policies, professional practices and sustainable partnerships.