Tackling Disinformation: West African Stakeholders Unite In Lagos
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
In an era where misinformation spreads faster than the truth, West Africa is taking a stand.
Recognising the growing threat of disinformation to democracy, governance, and regional stability, key stakeholders converged on Lagos, Nigeria, for a crucial engagement on countering false narratives.
The programmme, organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD West Africa) in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, was a one-day Regional Stakeholders’ Engagement on Countering Disinformation in West Africa.
The workshop is aimed at harnessing shared insights to strengthen ongoing efforts in combating misinformation and fortifying democratic institutions across the region.
As disinformation continues to undermine trust in governance and electoral processes, discussions at the engagement focused on collaborative strategies to detect, counter, and prevent the spread of false information.
Stakeholders which included the Head of Democracy and Good Governance at the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Ebenezer Asiedu, who represented the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah. emphasised the need for fact-checking initiatives, media literacy programmes, and stronger policies to safeguard the region’s information space.
With democracy at stake, the event underscored a united commitment to ensuring that truth prevails over falsehood in West Africa.
The high-level gathering also had in attendance the Acting Director of the ECOWAS Early Warning Directorate, Dr. Onyinye Onwuka, officials from the ECOWAS Communication Directorate, representatives from CDD-West Africa and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, and renowned experts, including Professors Adiele Jinadu and Jubrin Ibrahim among others.
