EU, editors partner to fight fake news, disinformation

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the European Union (EU) have announced a collaboration via a one-day training programme for editors and media executives to stem the negative impact of fake news, disinformation, and misinformation in the Nigeria media landscape.

This was made known via a statement signed by the NGE President, Eze Anaba, and the General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, on Thursday, July 24, 2025.

The Guild said the training programme, which holds in Lagos on Friday, July 25, with institutional support by the EU, is informed by the growing concern that fake news has a huge capacity to damage the credibility of journalists and the media, if not checked.

The NGE stated: “The EU and the NGE will organize a one-training programme for editors and media executives across different media platforms.

“The objective of the programme is to equip editors with the necessary skills and knowledge required to identify and debunk misinformation, fake news, disinformation, promoting accurate/trustworthy reporting, and imbibing the discipline of verification in news reporting – in the Nigerian media industry.”

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Giving a background and justification to the programme, the professional body of editors and media executives in Nigeria said the spread of misinformation, fake news, and disinformation has become a major concern in Nigeria, with fake news and propaganda threatening to undermine the credibility of the mass media and the stability of the country.

It added: “It is a common knowledge that editors/media executives play a critical role – in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the information published in their respective media organizations.

“However, recent experiences have proved that editors need the necessary technical skills and training to effectively identify and debunk misinformation.”

The Guild further explained that the proliferation of social media and other digital platforms has made it easier for misinformation and fake news to spread quickly, often with devastating consequences.

On the expected outcomes of the training programme, the NGE said it aims to improve fact-checking skills and knowledge to effectively identify and debunk misinformation, as well as enhance accuracy and reliability of reporting in the Nigerian media landscape.

The Star