By Gabriel Ameh
The Diplomatic Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (DICAN), in collaboration with the Centre for Communication Development and Diplomacy in Africa (CCDDA), PR Nigeria and other stakeholders, has launched a coordinated national initiative to combat misinformation, deepfakes and information warfare threatening global security, trade and democratic institutions
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The initiative, known as the Nigeria Fact-Check and Information Integrity Network (NFIIN), was officially unveiled during the 2nd Diplomatic, Security, Trade and Investment International Conference held at the Rotunda Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja on May 20, 2026.
The conference, themed “Information Warfare: Strengthening Global Security, Trade and Investment Through Collaborative Truth.The Role of Diplomacy, Intelligence and Media,” brought together diplomats, security experts, policymakers, journalists, academics, civil society groups and business leaders to address the growing dangers posed by coordinated disinformation campaigns.
Participants warned that misinformation has evolved beyond ordinary fake news into a sophisticated global security threat powered by generative artificial intelligence and deepfake technology.
According to discussions at the conference, over 70 percent of foreign information manipulation campaigns now deploy AI-generated content and deepfakes capable of simulating financial crises, diplomatic tensions and political instability.
Speakers also noted that information warfare continues to impact economies globally, with estimated annual losses of over $100 billion due to market instability, reduced investor confidence and emergency security spending.
The conference further expressed concerns over the increasing use of disinformation to manipulate elections, fuel ethnic and religious tensions, weaken democratic institutions and disrupt regional cooperation across Africa.
Despite the threats, participants acknowledged Nigeria’s growing economic diplomacy achievements, highlighting the country’s record $6.1 billion non-oil exports in 2025, representing an 11.5 percent increase from the previous year.
A major highlight of the event was the launch of NFIIN, a coalition involving DICAN, CCDDA, PR Nigeria and 69 civil society organisations across the 36 states of the federation.
The network has established six regional situation rooms aimed at monitoring, verifying and countering viral falsehoods and coordinated misinformation campaigns.
As part of its grassroots awareness strategy, NFIIN introduced multilingual media literacy campaigns with key messages including “Verify Before You Share,” “Truth Matters: Build a Stronger, Safer Society,” and “Think Before You Share.”
The conference also honoured several individuals and organisations for their contributions to peacebuilding, diplomacy and information integrity.
Award recipients included former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council Nonye Ayeni, Registrar General of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe, and Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution Joseph Ochogwu.
In its communiqué, the conference urged governments to prioritise information integrity as part of national security strategies through investments in digital literacy, civic education and technologies capable of detecting AI-driven misinformation.
The gathering also called on media organisations to strengthen fact-checking collaborations, while urging security agencies to deepen professional engagement with journalists to ensure timely dissemination of verified information during crises.
Participants further appealed to citizens, especially youths, to adopt responsible digital behaviour by verifying information before sharing online.
The conference concluded with appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs for hosting the event and announced that the 2027 edition would focus on the intersection of information warfare, migration, security and human trafficking.
