At the 22nd Annual All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris warned that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is creating a new threat to democracy by enabling the production and rapid spread of fake photographs, videos, audio recordings and documents.
Speaking through the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Ali M. Ali, Idris highlighted that the danger extends beyond citizens accepting false information; it also risks eroding trust in genuine reporting. The two‑day event, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, carried the theme “The Ballot, The Media, and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive” with the sub‑theme “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Misinformation Before, During, and After Elections.”
With the 2027 general elections approaching, the minister stressed that voters must have access to credible information. “Editors occupy a critical position in shaping public discourse because they determine what enters the public conversation, the issues that receive attention and how such issues are framed,” he said.
“Artificial intelligence has made it possible to create convincing photographs, videos, audio recordings and documents that may appear genuine when they are not. A false statement can be produced in the voice of a public official. A fabricated video can be circulated within minutes. An old photograph can be presented as a current event,”
Idris urged media organisations to embed verification into newsroom culture, not just as a post‑publication check. He listed questions journalists should ask before publishing: who made the claim, what evidence supports it, when a photograph was taken, whether a video is original and whether its source has been independently verified, and whether a headline is supported by the story.
He also called for balanced reporting on government performance, noting reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, including the removal of the petroleum subsidy, changes to the foreign‑exchange system, and the construction of more than 2,700 km of highways and major roads as of May 2024. The minister highlighted initiatives in education and human capital development, such as expanded access to higher‑education financing through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and programmes targeting youth, small businesses, digital skills and entrepreneurship.
Regarding electoral reform, Idris noted that President Tinubu signed amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act into law in February 2026. He urged journalists to explain what has changed, what remains the same and the implications for political parties and the electoral process, while cautioning against becoming participants in political contests.
“The job of a professional journalist is not to amplify every claim simply because it is politically attractive. The job is to establish what is true, provide context, and allow citizens to make their own judgments,” Idris said. “The ballot belongs to the people. The responsibility of the media is to help ensure that information surrounding that ballot is worthy of a democracy.”
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
