Aminu Sale – Gombe
The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) commenced a three-day training workshop for journalists from 30 media organizations across Nigeria as part of its “Countering Misinformation and Promoting Media Literacy in Nigeria” project.
The ICIR aims to fight the spread of misinformation by enhancing media literacy and responsible information sharing among citizens through this project supported by the Embassy of Germany.
In his opening remarks, ICIR’s Executive Director Dayo Aiyetan highlighted the need to build the capacity of media professionals to counter fake news narratives. Germany’s First Secretary of Political Affairs Mathias Dold also spoke about the pressing issue of misinformation and its threat to democracy. Participants were drawn from print, online and broadcast media to represent diverse regions of the country.
Through presentations and interactive sessions, the workshop equipped journalists with skills to identify various forms of misinformation like manipulated content, imposter content, fabricated content, false context etc. Trainers emphasized the need for thorough fact checking and verification of claims to combat fake news. Responsible usage of social media platforms to share factual information was also discussed.
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On the second day, the focus shifted to ways of boosting media literacy among news consumers. Presentations highlighted the lack of media l
iteracy in Nigeria which makes people vulnerable to manipulation. Strategies like inclusion of media literacy in school curriculum, public awareness campaigns, workshops for citizens etc were brainstormed.
As part of the workshop, journalists will organize step-down trainings to transfer knowledge to their team members. ICIR’s fact-checking portal FactCheckHub will also be enhanced and participants will contribute more actively. Through collaborative efforts, the project aims to create a more informed public able to identify and counter misinformation. Thereby it hopes to strengthen Nigeria’s information environment and democracy.