The Nigerian government has called on content creators and social media influencers to moderate their portrayal of the country, urging them to prioritise national interest and promote positive narratives.
Speaking in Abuja at an event marking the 2024 National Global Media and Information Literacy Week, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, issued a stark warning against what he described as the proliferation of negative rhetoric online.
The theme of this year’s event is “New Digital Frontiers of Information: Media and Information Literacy for Public Interest Information.”
Idris emphasised the need for balance in reporting, stating that while holding the government accountable is a crucial role of the media, it is equally important to highlight positive developments in the country.
“We cannot expect the country to grow and attract investment when the narrative is always negative,” the minister said. “There is a lot of positive information coming out of Nigeria, and we must be patriotic in how we report, to help the nation reach the prosperity that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu envisions.”
Idris also expressed concern over the spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media, warning that fake news poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s unity, peace, and development.
The minister praised UNESCO for its efforts in combating fake news, particularly through the establishment of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute in Nigeria. He noted that while misinformation is a global problem, collective responsibility is needed to clean up the digital space.
UNESCO’s representative to Nigeria, Abdourahamane Diallo, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting media literacy and curbing the spread of false information in the country.