Journalists, CSOs and Influencers Charged to Combat Fake News Ahead of 2027 Polls

By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna

As Nigeria inches toward the 2027 general elections, YandyTech Community, with support from CIVICUS Digital Democracy Initiative under the Civic Tech Lab, has urged journalists, civil society organizations and social media influencers to serve as frontline defenders against information disorder.

The call was made on Thursday during a capacity-building workshop in Kaduna organized by YandyTech. Organizers said the session was designed to equip critical stakeholders with practical tools to identify, verify and stop the spread of false narratives in their communities.

Gender and Social Protection Officer at YandyTech, Hope Garba, told participants that the impact of false information extends far beyond social media trends.

“While misinformation is shared without intent to harm, both disinformation and malinformation are deliberately crafted to cause damage,” Garba explained. “Yet all three thrive on existing social wounds and leave lasting ‘social scars’ on communities.”

She stressed that understanding the distinction between the three is vital for the media and civic space to prevent narratives that fuel hate speech, conflict and public distrust.

According to Garba, the workshop was structured to give participants actionable steps to break the chain of information disorder in their daily work.

“For journalists, this means applying a verification lens before publishing stories. For CSOs, it means engaging communities with sensitivity and factual messaging during advocacy. For influencers who command large youth audiences, it means sourcing information credibly before posting,” she said.

“The expectation is that in the dispensation of their duties, they can stop the chain when it comes to them,” Garba added. “Responsible information sharing is now a civic duty in the digital age.”

She urged media practitioners and civic actors to prioritize accuracy over speed and to deliberately amplify content that promotes peace and understanding rather than division.

“By verifying sources, avoiding sensationalism and amplifying peace-oriented narratives, journalists, CSOs and influencers can help address misinformation at its root and contribute to national cohesion,” she stated.

A major highlight of the workshop was the unveiling of Muryammu 2.0, an AI-assisted civic technology platform developed to improve voter education and provide access to credible election information ahead of 2027 and beyond.

Muhammad Idris Ibrahim, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer at YandyTech, presented the platform to journalists, CSOs and community leaders in attendance.

According to Ibrahim, Muryammu is accessible both via a WhatsApp chatbot and a web portal to ensure citizens can engage without leaving their comfort zones.

He said the platform features a homepage, an election information page, and a results section powered by INEC-verified data.

“Users can search for their polling units and get directions, view information on candidates, and access past and upcoming election results,” Ibrahim explained.

He added that the platform also includes a “Hotzones” feature which maps live reports of intimidation and other election-related incidents, enabling citizens to assess safety risks in real time.

An AI chatbot is also integrated to answer election-related questions using only verified data, reducing citizens’ reliance on rumors and unverified sources.

Ibrahim noted that the training deliberately targeted CBOs, CSOs, reporters and influencers because of their direct connection to the public.

“We carefully selected this set of people because they are closer to the people and are the ones people go to for information,” he stated.

“If they can go out and tell citizens that these are verified platforms that we have crosschecked, it will go a long way in keeping voters informed and educated and making us responsible citizens. Informed citizens make an informed country.”

Also speaking, Mandie Jeremiah, Program and Resource Mobilization Officer at YandyTech, said the workshop, supported by Civic Hive through the Digital Democracy Initiative, was designed to align stakeholders with Muryammu as a trusted source of civic information.

“Basically, today is for persons to get this interaction with the platform itself, understand what the platform does, because we want a situation where this will be disseminated through our communities,” Jeremiah said.

He noted that the platform provides details on party manifestos, electoral processes, polling unit locations using PVC data, candidate profiles, party affiliations, and election flash points.

Jeremiah said another key objective is to build a network of actors committed to countering fake news, hate speech and all forms of information disorder with verified election data.

“The takeaway for participants is commitment. Commitment in raising awareness around the Muryammu platform, talking to people about it, and equally utilizing it within their space,” she said.

“And, of course, being sensitive, verifying information before they even reshare or pass it across to any other person,” Jeremiah concluded.