Online publishers and editors have been urged to uphold professional standards, accuracy and accountability in their reportage ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The call was made at an Interface and Capacity Building Workshop for Online Publishers on Professional and Accountability Journalism, where Stella Nwofia, Programme Manager, represented the Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre Arogundade.
The engagement focused on strengthening the capacity of online media practitioners and promoting responsible journalism, particularly as the country approaches another election cycle.
In a remarks at the event, Nwofia acknowledged the importance of the training, noting that the growing demand for speed and visibility in online publishing sometimes compromises accuracy. She observed that many online publishers in Enugu were experienced journalists who had moved from established media organisations to operate their own platforms, making continuous professional development essential.
She expressed optimism that the training would improve the capacity of participants, create better opportunities for online publishers in Enugu and strengthen their visibility within the national media space.
Nwofia also assured the organisers that participants would take the lessons seriously and ensure that the knowledge acquired was shared with their staff and reflected in their professional practices.
She described Enugu online media practitioners as committed, transparent and experienced journalists who understood the responsibilities of the profession.
In a presentation entitled “2027 General Elections in the Context of Democratic & Accountability Reporting : Scanning the Electoral Environment and Reporting Citizens’ Priority Concerns, delivered by Professor Ifeoma Dunu reminded participants of the media’s critical responsibility in safeguarding democracy through credible information and holding elected public officials accountable for their performance.
Professor Dunu emphasised that journalists serve as the eyes, ears and voice of ordinary citizens, stressing that information disseminated by the media is often accepted by the public as truth and must therefore be handled with utmost responsibility.
A Factchecker with the Nigerian Democratic Report (NDR) and the International Press Centre (IPC), Olusola Oludiran, urged media organisations have been urged to integrate fact-checking into their news gathering and reporting processes to strengthen democratic accountability, promote public trust and combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
In a presentation titled “Integrating Fact-Checking for Democratic and Accountability Reporting”, Oludiran explained that the media, as the fourth estate of the realm, has a responsibility to monitor the exercise of public power, provide citizens with accurate information and scrutinise government decisions and performance.
He noted that journalism goes beyond reporting statements made by public officials, stressing that media practitioners must establish whether such claims are supported by verifiable evidence and examine their implications for citizens.
He described fact-checking as a rigorous and investigative aspect of journalism aimed at correcting public misconceptions and improving knowledge of important issues.
The NDR/IPC factchecker identified misinformation, disinformation and malinformation as major forms of information disorder threatening the credibility of public discourse.
While misinformation involves false information shared without deliberate intent to deceive, disinformation is deliberately fabricated or manipulated to mislead, while malinformation involves genuine information used maliciously or out of context to cause harm.
He warned that electoral misinformation could suppress voter participation, undermine confidence in election results, erode public trust in democratic institutions and incite violence.
He also identified fabricated news reports, manipulated photographs, recycled videos, AI-generated images, deepfake videos, false endorsements and fake election results as common forms of electoral disinformation.
On the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence, Oludiran cautioned that generative AI tools were making it easier, faster and cheaper to produce convincing false texts, images, audio recordings and videos capable of misleading voters and damaging candidates.
He therefore urged journalists to develop stronger verification skills, particularly when handling political claims and viral social media content.
He outlined essential verification procedures, including identifying the original source of a claim, examining available evidence, consulting official records, contacting relevant stakeholders and using digital verification tools such as reverse image searches, metadata analysis and AI-detection applications.
Oludiran further advised journalists to prioritise authoritative, independent, named and verifiable sources, rather than relying on anonymous accounts or single-source claims stressing that fact-checking conclusions must be based on evidence rather than the popularity or virality of information.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Corporate Online Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council, Clinton Umeh, pledged that online publishers in Enugu will translate the lessons from the professional journalism training programme into improved newsroom practices.
He described the initiative as an important intervention for independent online media practitioners, many of whom, he noted, had acquired years of experience working in established media organisations before establishing their own platforms.
While acknowledging the growing competition for speed and visibility in digital publishing, Umeh observed that the pressure to break stories first could sometimes compromise accuracy.
He said the training would help participants consolidate their existing knowledge, improve their professional output and strengthen the visibility of Enugu-based online publishers.
Umeh particularly welcomed the opportunity for practitioners in the state to benefit from the kind of exposure and networking available to online publishers in major media centres such as Lagos and Abuja.
He assured the organisers that participants would put the knowledge acquired into practice and extend the benefits to their employees and other members of their respective organisations.
Umeh explained that independent publishers largely depend on their capacity and productivity to earn a living, making professional competence and commitment essential to the sustainability of their businesses.
He also called for the continuation of similar interventions, emphasising that opportunities to interact with practitioners across the country would promote networking, collaboration and professional growth.
The workshop is part of efforts to strengthen online journalism and encourage responsible media practices as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
