By Charles Olewezi
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, FNIPR, has warned that Artificial Intelligence (AI) now makes it possible to clone voices, fabricate videos and recycle old photographs as current events, saying the greater danger is not that citizens believe a lie but that they stop believing anything at all.
Delivering a goodwill address at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, Thursday, Idris said the theme ‘The ballot, the media and the task of keeping democracy alive’ and sub-theme ‘When lies look real: Detecting and debunking AI disinformation before, during and after election’ could not have come at a more important time.
He said with INEC fixing Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027 and Governorship/State Assembly for February 6, 2027, Nigeria is entering a period where quality of information will matter enormously. “The ballot is important, but democracy does not begin and end at the polling station,” he said.
Idris said editors determine what enters public conversation, what receives attention and what citizens see on phones and social media, a responsibility now harder as AI can produce convincing photographs, videos, audio and documents that appear genuine. “A false statement can be produced in the voice of a public official. A fabricated video can be circulated within minutes,” he warned.
He said when the public can no longer distinguish true from fabricated, trust in media, elections and institutions suffer. He therefore charged that fact-checking can no longer be after publication but must be newsroom culture.
”Editors must ask basic but important questions: Who said this? What is the evidence? When was this photograph taken? Is this video original? Has the source been independently verified? Is the headline supported by the story? Are we reporting a fact, an allegation or an opinion? These questions may sound simple, but they are powerful safeguards against misinformation,” Idris said.
The Minister urged responsible reporting of government performance with the same discipline applied to other institutions.
He cited President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda reforms including petrol subsidy removal and foreign exchange changes, which he said required adjustments but improved revenue mobilisation, increased resources to states and local governments, stronger investor confidence and investments across sectors.
He said as of May 2026, over 2,700 kilometers of highways and major roads were under construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation, rail projects advancing, plus investments in power, housing, agriculture, digital connectivity, and Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, and youth, small business and digital skills programmes.
”A responsible press should neither exaggerate achievements nor ignore them. It should examine them, verify them, ask difficult questions, and allow citizens to understand both progress and shortcomings. That is how public trust is built,” he said.
Idris also noted Tinubu signed amendments to the Electoral Act in February 2026, and said the media must explain what changed, what remains the same and implications for parties, candidates, voters and INEC in language ordinary citizens understand.
He said democracy is not only national elections but governance at every level, citing Federal Government pursuit of financial autonomy for 774 local government councils. “The media must therefore pay attention to what happens at that level: how resources are used, what projects are delivered and whether citizens are receiving services,” he said.
He warned the media against becoming part of political contests: “The job of the professional journalist is not to amplify every claim simply because it is politically attractive. The job is to establish what is true, provide context and allow citizens to make their own judgments.”
He encouraged editors to collaborate with fact-checking organisations, technology experts, election authorities, invest in digital verification skills and clear procedures for AI content. He said the Ministry is committed to media and information literacy via partnership with UNESCO on International Media and Information Literacy Institute, but the government cannot do it alone.
”Let us ensure that technology does not become a tool for deceiving citizens, and that, when Nigerians go to the polls in 2027, they do so in an information environment where facts can still be found, verified and trusted. The ballot belongs to the people. The responsibility of the media is to help ensure that the information surrounding that ballot is worthy of a democracy,” Idris concluded.
In his welcome remarks, Enugu State Governor Dr Peter Mbah, emphasised on the media’s vital role in sustaining democracy. Mbah stated that democracy cannot survive without a free, fair, and fearless press. He urged journalists to uphold truth, inclusion, and accountability while avoiding political sensationalism. He also called for replacing distance with dialogue, viewing intelligent critique as a public service rather than hostility, and describing the government and media as “co-authors of our nation’s future”.
He noted that his administration welcomes public scrutiny and has made its policies, financial spending, and governance processes completely open.
Mbah challenged editors to “go deeper” and make investigative journalism not a luxury but core, distinguishing what generates clicks from what public needs, applying same standard to government and critics. He said Enugu is open about its agenda to become top three state by GDP and gateway for South-East, listing 1,500km roads, 7,000 classrooms, Smart Green Schools and Type-2 PHCs in 260 wards, water restoration, CNG buses, transport terminals, Enugu Air, revival of dormant industries and new city, plus support from Tinubu and Federal Government including Akanu Ibiam Airport concession that created fiscal space for investment. He urged editors to explore Enugu beyond the conference hall and tell the story as they find it, reiterating appreciation to Tinubu and declaring “Tomorrow is here.”