EU Warns Nigeria: ‘Democracy Is At Risk’ As Misinformation Spreads
The European Union has issued a strong warning: if misinformation keeps spreading unchecked, democracy itself could crumble.
Speaking at a one-day workshop for diplomatic correspondents in Abuja, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, said foreign information manipulation is now a powerful weapon used to influence elections, fuel tensions, and weaken public trust.
Inside the room, journalists watched disturbing examples, AI-generated videos that look real, manipulated images, and coordinated online campaigns designed to glamorise anti-democratic actors while discrediting institutions.
Ambassador Mignot said these tactics are increasingly sophisticated and often created outside Nigeria but targeted directly at its citizens.
He urged governments, media houses, and tech companies to step up, build stronger fact-checking systems, improve media literacy, and strengthen international cooperation.
A global study presented at the workshop showed that 85% of people fear the impact of disinformation, while 38% of EU citizens believe fake news threatens democracy.
Nigeria faces similar danger, with falsehoods now travelling far faster than facts.
The Ambassador told the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN) that journalists remain “the frontline defenders of truth” hence their vigilance is critical.
Accorsing to him, misinformation is no longer a nuisance but a threat. And ending is now everyone’s responsibility.
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