Nigerians have been urged to use social media responsibly and guard against its misuse, as well as the spread of harmful digital content capable of undermining peace, security and credible elections.
The Founder and Executive Director of the Digital Africa Research & Safety Lab (DigiAfricaLab), Rosemary Ajayi, made the call at a town hall meeting on Digital Rights and Peaceful Elections organised by DigiAfricaLab in partnership with the Pan African Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) in Osogbo, Osun State.
Ajayi warned that the dangers associated with social media extend beyond misinformation to include fake accounts, impersonation, manipulation of online trends and other forms of harmful digital content.
As the Osun State governorship election and the 2027 general election approach, stakeholders must remain vigilant against digital threats capable of creating fear, anger and mistrust among voters, she stressed.
According to her, digital threats include behaviours, activities and online content that erode public confidence in the electoral process.
“As we prepare for the August 15 governorship election and look ahead to the 2027 general election, I urge all Nigerians, particularly young people, media practitioners, civil society organisations, political actors and digital content creators, to embrace fact-checking, responsible communication, tolerance and respect for differing opinions. Peaceful elections are built on the foundation of informed, responsible and patriotic citizens,” she said.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of PAACA, Ezenwa Nwagwu, called for peaceful elections and responsible use of social media while urging greater public awareness of electoral offences.
He expressed concern that many Nigerians remain unaware of the legal consequences of electoral offences, noting that buying or selling a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) is a criminal offence punishable by law.
“We need to centralise conversations around electoral offences, peaceful elections, responsible use of social media and consequence management so that different stakeholders understand what is right.
“A lot of people do not know that if they sell their PVC, they can go to jail,” he said.
Nwagwu urged voters, political parties and other stakeholders to reject electoral violence and avoid spreading misinformation, hate speech and other harmful online content capable of disrupting peaceful elections.
While acknowledging the importance of infrastructure and other tangible dividends of democracy, he urged Nigerians to place greater value on freedom, the rule of law and other democratic ideals.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) also called for the responsible use of social media, urging Nigerians to verify information before posting or sharing it online.
The Osun State Director of NOA, Mr Adebiyi Stephen Adefarasin, made the appeal in his goodwill message at the event.
He encouraged residents to make Osun State a model of responsible social media use ahead of the 2027 general election and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to promoting digital responsibility and peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.
“The National Orientation Agency remains steadfast in its mandate of sensitising citizens to their civic responsibilities, fostering patriotism and promoting values that encourage peaceful coexistence. In today’s digital era, social media has become a powerful tool for information sharing, civic engagement and democratic participation,” he said.
Adefarasin, however, cautioned that the influence of social media comes with the responsibility to prevent the spread of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and other harmful content capable of undermining democratic processes.
