By Ameh Gabriel
Abuja, Nigeria – July 2025
Former Minority Leader of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, has urged the Nigerian government and its security apparatus to treat disinformation not as a nuisance but as a full-fledged threat to national security, calling for a coordinated strategy that integrates diplomacy, intelligence, and media response.
Elumelu made the call during his keynote address at the maiden International Diplomatic and Security Conference organized by the Diplomatic Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (DICAN), held in Abuja. The conference attracted a high-level gathering of diplomats, policymakers, security experts, and journalists to explore evolving global threats and Nigeria’s foreign policy response.
Speaking on the conference’s theme“Nigeria’s 4Ds Foreign Policy Strategy Amidst Global Security Challenges, Strategic Misperceptions, and the Age of Disinformation” Elumelu described the conversation as timely and crucial to Nigeria’s survival and image in an increasingly volatile international system.
“We are living in an era where disinformation travels faster than the truth,” Elumelu said. “When the media, intelligence agencies, and our diplomatic corps work in synergy, we can effectively counter narratives that seek to destabilize our democracy and damage Nigeria’s image abroad.”
He highlighted Nigeria’s 4Ds Foreign Policy Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Demography as more than theoretical pillars, but actionable strategies for both internal stability and international positioning.
“Democracy and development are not just local ambitions; they are tools of foreign policy,” he said. “Our diaspora represents global leverage, and our youth demography is our strength. These must be intentionally deployed in diplomacy.”
Elumelu emphasized the need for proactive and intelligence-driven foreign engagement, warning that threats such as cyberwarfare, terrorism, and economic sabotage through fake news are fast becoming standard weapons in the global power struggle.
“Disinformation is not harmless it’s a strategic tool that can cripple nations. We need to combat it with strategic communication, real-time intelligence, and a responsible yet empowered media sector,” he warned.
He also used the opportunity to commend DICAN for hosting what he termed a visionary conference, and called for more robust support for the association.
“DICAN must be equipped with the tools to go beyond reporting. They are watchdogs and interpreters of the fast-evolving forces shaping global and national security. This is not the time for half-measures.”
Elumelu further appealed to the Nigerian government to strengthen partnerships with international allies, while investing in local capacity for media literacy, cybersecurity, and intelligence innovation.
“Our foreign policy mirrors our domestic strength. If we do not shape our narrative, others will and they will not be kind. The 4Ds provide a compass. What we need now is the collective will to steer the ship in the right direction,” he said.
Panel discussions at the conference also explored digital diplomacy, foreign policy misperceptions, media credibility, and regional security in West Africa and the Sahel.
Stakeholders concluded that Nigeria must urgently adapt its diplomatic posture to keep pace with emerging global threats, from environmental migration to rising misinformation campaigns that target political and economic institutions.
The DICAN International Diplomatic and Security Conference is expected to become an annual platform for thought leadership at the intersection of journalism, foreign policy, and national stability.
