Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and President of Vision Africa, Archbishop Dr Sunday Onuoha, have warned that misinformation, deepfakes and shrinking newsrooms threaten journalism and Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general election.
They spoke at the launch of Digital Shift in Nigeria’s Newspaper Industry, authored by LEADERSHIP Newspaper’s Group News Editor, Dr Sunday Isuwa, at the Army Resource Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday.
They urged journalists and media organisations to strengthen fact-checking, protect editorial independence and embrace emerging technologies without compromising professional ethics.
Sani, represented by Kaduna State Commissioner for Information Ahmed Maiyaki, said artificial intelligence (AI) and shrinking newsrooms were reshaping journalism, urging practitioners to acquire new skills to remain relevant.
Maiyaki noted that technological advances were reducing newsroom production teams while increasing individual journalists’ responsibilities, including reporting, filming and producing video content.
He urged journalists to adopt innovative approaches to news production and understand AI’s implications for employment across creative industries.
“Journalists and media organisations must also improve their skills and embrace new approaches to news production,” he said.
Maiyaki also warned against misinformation and manipulated content ahead of the 2027 elections, recalling the use of fabricated recordings and synthetic voices in previous election cycles.
He said journalists must go beyond reporting events to investigate claims and verify information, stressing that responsible journalism was essential to protecting democracy, promoting national unity and maintaining stability.
“Campaigns will end, posters will disappear, and some candidates will win while others will lose. But the most important thing is the survival, unity and progress of Nigeria,” he said.
He commended Isuwa for examining changes in the newspaper industry and their implications for journalism, announcing a donation of N1 million towards purchasing two copies of the book.
Speaking at the event, Isuwa, who is also Chairman and Publisher of Elanza News, said digital technology had transformed how news was produced, distributed and consumed, allowing information to reach audiences within seconds through websites, social media and mobile platforms.
However, he said the shift had intensified challenges, including misinformation, changing business models and pressure on journalists to prioritise speed over accuracy.
“These changes matter to all of us, not just journalists and newspaper publishers. They matter to students learning to assess information, educators preparing the next generation, and every reader who wants to distinguish reliable reporting from misleading information,” he said.
Isuwa stressed that technology alone could not guarantee quality journalism, noting that ethical practices, sound professional judgement and commitment to public service remained essential.
He called for sustained collaboration among journalists, educators, students and readers to ensure technological advances did not undermine journalism’s core principles.
The author also advocated greater media literacy to help citizens assess information critically and distinguish credible reporting from misleading content.
Presenting a paper titled The Media’s Crucial Role in the 2027 General Election: Navigating Truth and Trust, Onuoha, represented by the Methodist Bishop of Kubwa Diocese, Dr Frederick Onoja, warned that misinformation, political interference and economic pressures could undermine public confidence in elections.
Onuoha, a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo on Privatisation and Executive Director of Nigeria Interfaith Action, said elections were not merely contests for political power but also battles over information, public confidence and the legitimacy of democratic institutions.
He said voters needed reliable information about candidates, political parties, public policies, government performance and the electoral process to make informed decisions.
According to him, social media, digital influencers and AI had transformed the information landscape, enabling false claims to spread before journalists could verify or debunk them.
He warned that manipulated videos, fabricated photographs, cloned voices and AI-generated content could mislead voters, inflame ethnic and religious tensions and undermine confidence in election results.
“Journalists can no longer rely exclusively on traditional questions such as whether a photograph or video looks genuine,” Onuoha said, urging newsrooms to establish clear procedures for detecting and verifying deepfakes and other AI-generated content.
He advised journalists to investigate the origins of suspicious materials, trace their original sources and seek independent confirmation before publishing election-related claims.
Onuoha also called for stronger collaboration among media organisations, fact-checkers, researchers and civil society groups, noting that no newsroom could independently track every false claim circulating online.
On editorial independence, he cautioned media owners against allowing political advertising and commercial interests to dictate news coverage. He urged them to separate business operations from editorial decisions and ensure paid political content was not presented as independent journalism.
He added that the same professional standards should apply to the government, opposition parties, political candidates and other influential actors.
The cleric warned that pressure to break election news must not override verification, particularly in reports concerning electoral violence, rigging allegations and election results.
He said inaccurate reports could trigger panic, damage reputations and erode public trust. Journalists, he added, must distinguish verified facts from political opinions and unsubstantiated allegations while giving those accused of wrongdoing an opportunity to respond.
Onuoha also advocated clear guidelines for AI use in news production, including verification and disclosure procedures, stressing that media organisations must embrace innovation without abandoning professional ethics.
He said responsibility for credible elections extended beyond journalists to media owners, political actors, technology companies and citizens, urging all stakeholders to promote a more responsible information environment.
He described the 2027 general election as a test of both Nigeria’s democratic institutions and the credibility of its media, urging journalists to uphold accuracy, accountability and the public interest.
In his closing remarks, Isuwa said the book was intended to advance discussions on the future of journalism in Nigeria and Africa, particularly among students, journalists, educators and other media practitioners.
He called for partnerships to expand access to the publication and promote media literacy, especially in communities with limited access to media education.
The author thanked his family, colleagues, mentors, readers and other media stakeholders for supporting the publication, urging readers to engage with the book and offer constructive feedback to advance journalism in Nigeria.
