2027: ACSPN Seeks Media Action Against AI-Driven Disinformation
The Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) has called on the Nigerian media to strengthen its response to artificial intelligence, misinformation and disinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The National President of ACSPN, Prof. Rotimi Williams Olatunji, made the call on Monday in Abuja while addressing a press conference to herald the association’s 2026 Annual Conference.
The conference, scheduled to hold at the National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja, is themed, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication.”
Olatunji said the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, social media, digital platforms and data-driven political communication was changing the way citizens receive information, engage political actors and participate in elections.
He said the emerging communication environment required stronger collaboration between communication scholars, journalists, technology experts, policymakers and other stakeholders to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
According to him, the media has a critical role to play in interrogating data, identifying misinformation and disinformation, and helping citizens distinguish between authentic and manipulated content.
He urged media organisations to develop stronger capacity to identify artificial intelligence-generated content, including manipulated videos, fabricated audio recordings and other forms of digital deception that could influence voters.
Read Also:
Olatunji also called for greater collaboration between scholars and media practitioners, describing the two groups as “two wings of one bird” that must work together to effectively address emerging communication challenges.
He said communication scholars should make their research and expertise more accessible to journalists, policymakers and citizens, while the media should help take important academic and public-interest discussions beyond conference halls.
The ACSPN president further urged the media to promote fact-based public discourse and hold all stakeholders, including political actors and institutions, accountable as the country approaches the 2027 elections.
He said the association’s 2026 conference would provide an opportunity to examine issues surrounding digital campaigning, artificial intelligence, misinformation, disinformation, data analytics, social media and electoral communication.
Olatunji said ACSPN was also introducing Fellowship and Special Awards at the conference to honour individuals who had made significant contributions to communication scholarship, professional practice and national development.
He said the awards would also help preserve institutional memory and encourage intergenerational mentorship within the association.
The ACSPN president said the association was committed to contributing its intellectual and professional resources to building a more informed, inclusive, peaceful and credible electoral process.
The 2026 ACSPN Annual Conference is expected to bring together communication scholars, media professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders to examine the changing relationship between technology, communication and elections in Nigeria and Africa.
