Experts Warn ECOWAS: AI-Driven Fake News Threatens Democracy & Stability

By IFEOMA IZUCHUKWU

AS Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshapes the way information is produced and consumed, experts are warning that West Africa risks becoming a fertile ground for AI-generated fake news—unless urgent action is taken. At the close of the ECOWAS Parliament’s 2025 Second Extraordinary Session in Port Harcourt, media and ICT specialists called on lawmakers to establish a dedicated regional agency to combat the rise of digital disinformation.

The week-long session, themed “Disinformation and Misinformation in the Era of AI: Challenges for Governance in the ECOWAS Sub-region”, brought together lawmakers, journalists, and technology professionals to examine the dangers of AI-manipulated narratives.

AI and the Threat to Governance

Panelists warned that AI tools, while revolutionary, are also being hijacked by malicious actors to fabricate convincing falsehoods, distort public discourse, and inflame divisions along ethnic and religious lines. According to them, the “invasion of social media space by unscrupulous people” is fast eroding public trust and undermining governance.

“If left unchecked, AI-powered disinformation could fuel social upheaval and destabilise fragile democracies,” said Kierimagha Obomanu, Deputy Director at Rivers Broadcasting Corporation. He urged ECOWAS to establish a strategic monitoring body capable of tracking and responding to digital falsehoods without stifling citizens’ right to free expression.

Solutions on the Table

Other experts outlined a three-pronged approach:

• Fact-checking infrastructure: With the sub-region lacking robust systems, panelists pressed for investment in training journalists and deploying technology for real-time verification.

• Public sensitisation: ICT expert Dr. Christian Odo highlighted the urgent need to educate citizens on spotting manipulated content, stressing that “people appeal to divisive issues of ethnicity and religion” to weaponise misinformation.

• Sanctions and regulation: While advocating for guided regulation, Suleiman Gumi insisted that perpetrators of fake news must face penalties to deter abuse.

Grace Abiante, an IT specialist, added that public awareness of AI’s potential misuse is critical. She pointed to tools like ChatGPT as possible allies in fact-checking, provided they are embedded in a larger regulated framework.

Why It Matters

The distinction between misinformation (falsehood spread unintentionally) and disinformation (deliberate deception) may seem academic, but its consequences are real. Experts warned that unchecked AI-driven manipulation can fracture societies, disrupt economies, and make governance almost impossible.

For ECOWAS lawmakers, the session was a wake-up call: to either lead in shaping a resilient digital environment—or risk seeing the region destabilised by invisible algorithms fueling visible crises.