The ECOWAS Commission has restated its determination to deepen strategic communication, reinforce democratic resilience, and advance responsible digital governance across Nigeria’s information space.
This assurance was given on Tuesday in Lagos by Francis Ezekiel of the Commission’s Directorate of Communication during the ongoing Meeting of Nigerian Regulators on Information Integrity, organised in view of the 2027 general elections. The two-day forum brought together regulators, civil society actors, and development partners to examine ways of protecting information integrity and curbing the spread of deepfakes and other digital manipulations ahead of the polls.
Ezekiel noted that the Commission, working in collaboration with GIZ Nigeria and the Media Foundation for West Africa, had trained over 500 journalists across the region within the past year to strengthen their capacity to counter misinformation and understand its implications for peace and stability.
“In the last one year, the ECOWAS Commission in partnership with GIZ and the Media Foundation for West Africa have trained more than 500 journalists across the region in combating misinformation and understanding its impact on peace and stability in the region.
“ECOWAS has also organised its information and communication policy to address emerging challenges relating to social media, artificial intelligence, misinformation and disinformation. The broad participation of this meeting demonstrates a shared recognition that information integrity and challenges require collective action. It also requires stronger cooperation among government, regulators, media practitioners, civil society organisations and development partners.”
He further stressed that Nigeria’s position as one of Africa’s largest democratic and digital environments makes it central to shaping continental information flows and public discourse. According to him, experiences from the country would significantly influence regional strategies aimed at strengthening information integrity and democratic resilience.
Ezekiel also described the “Practical Guide for Regulatory Bodies” as both timely and highly relevant, noting that it offers actionable direction for regulators and stakeholders in addressing emerging risks within the digital information ecosystem. He added that the framework promotes transparency, accountability, institutional independence, multi-stakeholder engagement, and a human rights–based approach to digital governance.
Also speaking at the meeting, Lillian Seffer, a representative of GIZ Nigeria, emphasised the urgency of tackling misinformation and disinformation ahead of the 2027 elections, warning of their potential consequences for citizens if left unchecked.
“The discussion on properly addressing disinformation and misinformation is not just a technical issue, it is linked to democratic governance.
“Addressing disinformation is not a technical issue only. It is linked to trust, transparency, credible public communication and ultimately democratic governance. It acknowledges the systemic risks of citizens being disinformed to their collective disadvantage,” the GIZ official said.
The Practical Guide for Regulatory Bodies, which implements the Praia Policy Framework, originates from the Praia Regional Conference and is designed to foster a unified and coherent approach to information integrity policies. It also aims to strengthen digital platform governance while safeguarding human rights, build societal resilience against disinformation and hate speech, improve access to public-interest data, and enhance multi-stakeholder collaboration across West Africa and the Sahel region.
