The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), through its Media in National Elections (MiNE) project and fact-checking platform, DUBAWA, has launched a two-day Media and Information Literacy (MIL) and fact-checking training for officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The training, organised in collaboration with INEC, is aimed at strengthening the capacity of election officials to understand information flows and respond effectively to the growing challenge of mis- and disinformation during elections, especially within the digital media space.
Held in Abuja, the programme brought together 25 INEC staff members drawn from the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as part of preparations for the February 21 Area Council elections.
Representing the FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC),Mal. Aminu Idris Kasimu, the administrative secretary, Mrs. Bimbo Oladunjoye, in her opening remarks, stressed INEC’s commitment to safeguarding not only the technical conduct of elections but also the integrity of the information environment surrounding them.
Oladunjoye noted that social and online media now play a major role in shaping public perception of elections, offering both opportunities for voter education and serious risks when abused.
“False and misleading information can damage electoral credibility, threaten security, and erode public trust if not properly managed,” she said, adding that protecting the information space has become a core responsibility of the commission.
She urged participants to take full advantage of the training and apply the skills acquired to strengthen institutional communication and ensure credible electoral processes.
Also speaking, CJID Executive Director, Akintunde Babatunde, described INEC as a pillar of Nigeria’s democracy that is often vulnerable to public distrust driven by misinformation and disinformation.
According to him, Media and Information Literacy is critical for election management bodies to recognise that information manipulation is a real and evolving threat that requires cooperation across institutions.
“This intervention is about partnership, not blame,” Babatunde said. “It is about combining INEC’s mandate with CJID’s technical expertise to protect both electoral integrity and election officials.”
He added that CJID has implemented similar capacity-building programmes in 13 African countries, supporting election bodies to counter the influence of digital disinformation on democratic processes.
CJID is an African media technology organisation founded in Nigeria in 2014, with operations across 13 African countries. The organisation focuses on investigative journalism, innovation, open data, verification, elections, media freedom, and journalist safety.
