AI Disinformation: Idris, Amupitan Task Editors On Verification Ahead Of 2027
THE Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, have urged Nigerian editors to strengthen verification systems in newsrooms to combat the growing threat of artificial intelligence-driven disinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
They made the call at the 24th All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu on Thursday, September 24, 2026, where discussions focused on the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” and the sub-theme, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election.”
Idris said the growing ability of artificial intelligence to create convincing photographs, videos, audio recordings and documents had made the task of distinguishing genuine information from fabricated content increasingly difficult.
The Minister who was represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali Muhammad Alli, said that the danger went beyond citizens believing individual falsehoods, warning that widespread exposure to convincing fabrications could undermine public trust in the media, elections and public institutions.
He urged editors to make verification an integral part of newsroom operations rather than treating fact-checking as something that happens after publication.
According to him, journalists should routinely establish who made a claim, examine the evidence supporting it, verify the source of photographs and videos, and distinguish clearly between facts, allegations and opinions.
He also stressed the need to ensure that headlines accurately reflect the stories they introduce.
Idris said the media had a responsibility to provide citizens with credible information with which to make informed decisions, particularly as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan, who was Special Guest of Honour at the conference, said the information environment had moved beyond conventional political bias and unverified rumours into an era where synthetic content could be produced and distributed rapidly.
He said deepfake videos, cloned audio, fabricated documents and manipulated result sheets could be used to create false impressions about electoral developments.
According to the INEC Chairman, who was represented by the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Enugu State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu, the greatest danger was the potential destruction of public trust when citizens began to doubt even genuine information because they could no longer distinguish between authentic and fabricated content.
He said such developments could undermine confidence in election administration and democratic participation.
Amupitan urged editors to resist pressure to publish unverified information simply because it was circulating widely on social media.
He said the traditional newsroom must reassert its role as a reliable source of verified information in an environment where social media algorithms often reward speed, outrage and virality.
The INEC Chairman called on media organisations to establish fact-checking desks and integrate digital verification tools, deepfake detection systems and forensic image analysis into breaking-news workflows.
He also urged journalists to educate citizens on how to identify synthetic content, fabricated documents and other forms of digitally manipulated information.
Both officials stressed that the media, electoral authorities, technology companies, civil society and citizens had roles to play in protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s information environment ahead of the 2027 elections.
