The Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC) has opened situation rooms to monitor misinformation and disinformation ahead of the Osun State Governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.
Members and volunteers of the coalition will operate from Abuja and Lagos, tracking false and manipulated narratives that could incite violence, encourage voter apathy, or undermine public trust in the electoral process.
Partner organisations, including Africa Check and the Digital Africa Research Lab (DigiAfrica Lab), will be present on the ground in Osun State to provide firsthand monitoring and real-time assessments to the situation rooms.
Formed in June 2022, the NFC brings together International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) signatories such as Africa Check, CableCheck (The Cable), FactCheckHub, and DUBAWA. It works alongside partners including the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (The ICIR), the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), FactsMatterNG, Digital Africa Research and Safety Lab, Alkalanci, The Continental, Round Check, WikkiTimes, FactWatch, and others.
The coalition previously verified several harmful narratives during the Ekiti State governorship election through collaborative fact-checking. It plans to apply a similar approach in Osun as attention shifts toward Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
In addition to verification work, the NFC is conducting Media and Information Literacy (MIL) activities aimed at helping citizens identify misleading content, assess source credibility, and make informed decisions about information they consume and share online and offline.
Kemi Busari, Editor of DUBAWA Nigeria, highlighted the security situation in Osun as a particular challenge for election monitoring.
“The security situation in Osun leading up to this election has been concerning. We expect a lot of security-related misinformation and disinformation,” Busari said.
“We are already seeing some of them; some are even old or unrelated claims.
“Our hope is that people vote freely and based on their choices. At NFC, we will be working towards availing them with accurate information to make that decision.
“We have a team of trained fact-checkers and editors monitoring the information space both online and offline, and we will be working with local partners to disseminate our reports.”
David Ajikobi, Nigeria Editor at Africa Check and current National Coordinator of the Coalition, pointed to artificial intelligence as a growing threat.
“AI has made it faster, cheaper, and easier to create convincing false or misleading election content, from synthetic images and cloned voices to AI-generated text that mimics official statements,” Ajikobi said.
“Social media can spread this content nationwide within minutes, often faster than it can be verified or corrected. Content that once required specialist skills can now be produced by almost anyone with a smartphone and access to AI tools.
“This means Nigerians are likely to encounter more sophisticated election misinformation, making early detection, rapid verification, and credible correction more important than ever. This is why coordinated efforts like the NFC Situation Room are important in identifying false narratives before they gain wider traction.”
Ajikobi emphasised that the coalition’s work aims to strengthen citizens’ ability to navigate the information environment with greater confidence.
“We also want them to develop simple habits such as pausing before sharing unverified information, checking claims against credible sources, and recognising manipulated or AI-generated content. Ultimately, the goal is to help Nigerians navigate the information environment more confidently and make informed decisions based on verified information,” he said.
The NFC is urging voters, journalists, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to verify election-related information before sharing it, especially content designed to provoke fear, anger, or confusion.
Members of the public are encouraged to submit unverified information to the NFC Situation Rooms via WhatsApp on +2349030785265 and +2349083777789, or by email at nigerianfactcheckerscoalition@gmail.com.
Verified reports and fact-checks will be shared through the coalition’s member organisations and partners throughout the election period.
