Imagine this: a few hours after polling units close on election day in 2027, a voice note begins circulating on WhatsApp. It claims to be from a senior electoral official, saying the results from a key state have been rigged. The voice sounds exact, the tone is familiar, and people share it thousands of times before sunset. In another group, a video appears showing a candidate admitting to vote buying, though the candidate never said those words. In yet another thread, a document that looks like an official INEC statement spreads rapidly, complete with logos and signatures. All of it is false. All of it was created by artificial intelligence. This is not a science fiction script; it is the urgent warning that Nigerian media stakeholders have issued as the country looks toward the 2027 general elections. The growing use of AI to create fake election results, deepfake videos, manipulated audio and other deceptive content could make it harder than ever for Nigerians to separate genuine information from falsehood. The speed and reach of social media mean that lies can travel across the country in moments, reaching family groups, youth forums and religious networks before any journalist, election official or fact-checker has the chance to verify what is real. For ordinary Nigerians, the consequence is not just confusion; it is the slow erosion of trust in the very institutions that are supposed to protect democracy. When people can no longer believe their eyes and ears, the foundation of democratic choice begins to crack.
The warning was contained in a communiqué shared with PREMIUM TIMES after the eighth Bagauda Kaltho Media Lecture, organised by the Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF). The lecture was held on 19 September to mark the posthumous birthday of Bagauda Kaltho, an investigative journalist whose memory remains a powerful symbol of courageous reporting in Nigeria. This year’s edition focused on press freedom, courageous journalism and the growing challenge of election misinformation. It was both a memorial and a call to action, drawing together journalists, media executives, civil society actors and concerned citizens to reflect on how the profession must adapt to a rapidly changing information landscape. The communiqué was signed by Titus Usman, publisher of Jewel Treasure Newspaper, and Sekyen Dadik, executive director of AMDF. Their statement did not merely describe the dangers of AI; it offered a sober assessment of how social media has changed the way falsehood spreads. The organisers observed that false information can now reach huge audiences before professional journalists and fact-checkers can establish whether claims are true. In the past, misinformation might have been limited by gatekeepers such as editors and broadcasters; today, one careless share can place a fabricated story in front of millions. The lecture used Kaltho’s legacy to pose uncomfortable questions: What does it mean to be a courageous journalist in an age when truth itself is under attack? How can media houses remain credible when the tools of deception are cheaper and more accessible than ever? These questions framed every discussion that followed.
Dapo Olorunyomi, publisher of PREMIUM TIMES and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), delivered the keynote address. He made clear that the 2027 general elections would pose significant new challenges for journalism, not only because of the usual political tensions but because AI and digital platforms are continuously transforming how information is produced, shared and manipulated. Mr Olorunyomi explained that artificial intelligence can now be used to produce fabricated election results, deepfake videos, manipulated audio and other deceptive content that looks and sounds real. The danger, he stressed, is not just that such content exists; it is that social media allows it to spread with breathtaking speed and reach. A deepfake video can go viral while journalists are still trying to contact the people involved. A manipulated audio clip can be shared in millions of private groups before any fact-checker has even heard it. The speed of falsehood now outruns the speed of verification. Mr Olorunyomi acknowledged that fact-checking and verification tools can help journalists and members of the public identify false information. But he emphasised that wider access to such tools, greater awareness among the public and stronger institutional support are all needed. Tools are not enough if journalists do not have the training to use them, if newsrooms cannot afford them, or if citizens do not know they exist. He also implied that technology alone cannot solve what is fundamentally a human and institutional challenge. Journalists need protection, resources and collaboration. Fact-checkers need to be treated as essential parts of the newsroom, not optional extras. And the public needs to be brought into the process as active participants rather than passive consumers.
Mr Olorunyomi’s warning was echoed by Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who in August also raised the alarm about AI-driven disinformation. According to Mr Amupitan, generative AI has made manipulated videos, audio and images cheaper and harder to detect, with the potential to reach large numbers of people before they can be verified. This is not an abstract concern. Reports have already revealed cases involving manipulated audio, old videos presented as current events and fabricated claims about the electoral process. There are also concerns about AI-generated content and fake election results being used to create confusion and distrust around elections. Nigeria does not have to wait for 2027 to see how destructive this can be. During the 2023 polls, the country experienced widespread election misinformation. Fake endorsements, forged statements and other false claims circulated vigorously on social media, and some misinformation even found its way into mainstream media, as Reuters reported at the time. The lessons from that election are still fresh. Many voters went to the polls unsure about basic facts, such as which candidates had stepped down, which parties had formed alliances and whether certain documents were authentic. In such an environment, people are forced to rely on intuition, loyalty or rumour rather than verified information. When voters cannot trust what they see and hear, the entire electoral process suffers. If a manipulated video of an election official or a fabricated set of results is allowed to spread unchecked, it can alter public perception and even provoke violence. The credibility of the 2027 election, therefore, depends heavily on how well the country prepares for the misuse of artificial intelligence.
Mr Olorunyomi also reminded listeners that the pressure on journalism extends far beyond the spread of false information. He raised concerns about legal and institutional pressures on the media, including the application of the Cybercrimes Act, which has at times been used in ways that threaten press freedom. Journalists in Nigeria, as in many countries, face harassment, detention and legal intimidation simply for doing their work. At the same time, news organisations are struggling financially. The disruption of traditional media business models by digital platforms has put enormous pressure on media houses, contributing to poor remuneration for journalists and weaker news institutions. This combination is deeply troubling. A newsroom that is underfunded and understaffed is in no position to investigate complex stories. A journalist who is poorly paid and overworked has little time to verify sources, trace digital footprints or challenge powerful interests. And a media organisation that fears legal reprisals may hesitate to publish important information. The fight against AI disinformation cannot be won by fact-checkers alone. It requires a news ecosystem that is strong enough to tell the truth, brave enough to defend it and stable enough to do both consistently. Mr Olorunyomi’s message was clear: protecting Nigerian democracy in 2027 means protecting Nigerian journalism, and protecting journalism means addressing both the new technological threats and the old institutional failures. Courage without resources is insufficient, and resources without courage are meaningless. The two must exist together.
In response to these challenges, the communiqué issued after the Bagauda Kaltho Media Lecture set out a clear path forward. It urged media organisations to strengthen their verification systems and invest in training on fact-checking, digital verification, AI and investigative journalism. It called for closer cooperation among journalists, media organisations, professional bodies, civil society groups and technology companies so that manipulated and AI-generated content can be identified and countered before it causes serious harm. No single institution can fight this battle alone. Election officials need help explaining to the public what is official and what is fake. Journalists need help from human rights groups when they are attacked for doing their jobs. Civil society needs the technical skills of technology companies, and technology companies need to understand the local realities of Nigerian politics and communication. The communiqué also called for stronger media-literacy programmes in schools, communities, religious organisations and other social institutions. Urging Nigerians to pause and verify information before sharing it is not just a slogan; it is a survival skill for democracy. If citizens can learn to ask basic questions before forwarding a message, they can help break the chain of disinformation. People must understand that a WhatsApp forward is not a news report, that a voice note is not proof, and that a video can be manipulated in ways the human eye cannot detect. The fight for credible elections in 2027 is therefore also a fight for the hearts and minds of every Nigerian. It is about teaching people to value truth in a world where lies can be manufactured in seconds and spread even faster. The warning from media stakeholders is not an act of pessimism; it is a call to action. Hope still exists, but only if journalists, institutions and citizens move quickly to protect the truth before the next election cycle begins.