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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pete Vowles, met in Abuja to discuss the forthcoming 2027 general elections, with regard to media collaboration to tackle misinformation and disinformation.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships to address misinformation, disinformation and the emerging challenges in the information landscape ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Rabiu Ibrahim, in a statement issued in Abuja, said the visit underscored Nigeria and the United Kingdom’s shared commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and promoting responsible communication in an increasingly complex global information environment.
Ibrahim said discussions between the minister and the high commissioner focused on strengthening United Kingdom-Nigeria relations, improving public communication and exploring areas of cooperation in tackling shared information challenges.
Ibrahim also said the minister identified the growing threat of fake news and misinformation, particularly in the context of the forthcoming general elections, as a major concern requiring sustained collaboration between Nigeria and its international partners.
“I think the threat of fake news and misinformation, and how that can be an obstacle to a credible election, is one of the biggest challenges we have as Nigerians now,” Idris said.
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Idris further said the Federal Government was working with the United Kingdom and other partners to promote responsible information management and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
While welcoming the high commissioner’s interest in Nigeria’s information environment, Idris stated that Nigeria was ready to deepen cooperation with the United Kingdom.
“We are working hard in conjunction with them, as we do with other countries and partners, to make sure that we have a smooth electoral process,” Idris also said.
The minister further described the visit as an opportunity to sustain the longstanding relationship between the two countries and explore practical responses to challenges posed by artificial intelligence, fake news and the rapidly evolving digital media environment.
On his part, Vowles said the visit was an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations and understand Nigeria’s information landscape.
The British envoy noted that both countries faced similar challenges, particularly misinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence.
“That kind of area is something we might be able to work more together on, shared challenges and how we have shared approaches to tackling these challenges,” Vowles said.
