To combat deepfakes and AI-generated synthetic media ahead of the 2027 general elections, fact-checkers have urged the use of strategic communication in local languages to protect Nigerians from manipulated information.

The Founder of FactsMatterNG, Hannah Ajakaiye, said making accurate information accessible to Nigerians across different linguistic and cultural backgrounds would curb the spread of misinformation before, during and after the elections.

Speaking during The PUNCH webinar titled ‘AI, Misinformation and Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Safeguarding the Truth, Protecting the Vote’, organised by the PUNCH Media Foundation on Wednesday, Ajakaiye said using local-language content and other interventions would ensure that public opinion was not distorted and citizens could make informed judgments about political discourse.

She said, “The answer is strategic communication. It is not just about prebunking or explaining how to identify AI-created images; we must also look at using local languages.

“In this country, we speak a lot of English, but the people who often fall victim to manipulated information are not interested in long, complex grammar. Can we step down and produce prebunks or media literacy content in languages they understand? Can we use voices they actually relate to?”

Ajakaiye said AI-generated images, videos, audio recordings and misleading online reports could make it increasingly difficult for the public to distinguish genuine information from fabricated content.

She stressed the need for media literacy education in local languages to ensure that communities, particularly those with limited access to credible fact-checking platforms, were adequately informed.

She also called for partnerships with content creators to develop and disseminate media literacy content in local languages.

“When you look at the current media ecosystem, there is heavy infiltration by content creators and social media influencers. Can we explore partnering with those influencers to turn them into trustworthy voices, or teach them how to verify content and refer their audiences to trusted sources before making claims?

“We should not focus solely on how these pieces of content are created—because in the coming days, it is going to get even more complicated. We must focus on strategic communication as an intervention to help people exercise good judgment and identify synthetic content,” she said.

The PUNCH webinar series, themed “AI, Misinformation and Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Safeguarding the Truth, Protecting the Vote,” is aimed at promoting the responsible use of artificial intelligence during the polls and addressing concerns that the technology could be exploited to manipulate voters, spread disinformation and weaken public confidence.

It brings together stakeholders from the media, electoral administration, security, technology and civil society sectors to discuss threats posed by digitally manipulated content and measures to protect the integrity of election-related information.