A digital security expert, Ayodele Joseph, has called for coordinated action among government agencies, security institutions, media organisations and technology platforms to tackle cyber threats and information manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Mr Joseph, Director of the Centre for Digital Divide and Social Informatics, Kaduna State University (KASU), made the call during a presentation on “Cyber Threats, Information Manipulation and National Security: Protecting Nigeria’s Information Space” in Kaduna on Wednesday.

He said the growing use of digital platforms had created new opportunities for communication and civic participation but also exposed the country to misinformation, disinformation, cyber attacks and coordinated campaigns capable of undermining public trust and national security.

Mr Joseph said Nigeria had an estimated 109 million internet users and 47.8 million social media user identities by late 2025, highlighting the increasing importance of the digital space in shaping public opinion and political discourse.

He warned that the spread of manipulated images, fabricated statements, false endorsements and fake election results could intensify during the 2027 elections, particularly with the emergence of Artificial Intelligence-generated audio and videos.

According to him, such threats require stronger institutional preparedness, effective public communication and improved digital literacy among citizens.

Comparing the 2023 general elections with preparations for the 2027 polls, Mr Joseph identified false endorsements, manipulated images and videos, fabricated results and divisive ethnic and religious narratives as some of the information threats experienced during the previous election cycle.

He said emerging risks ahead of the next elections included AI-generated or altered audio and videos, impersonation, targeted political narratives and the rapid spread of misleading content across multiple platforms.

Mr Joseph noted that concerns surrounding the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) had featured prominently in debates about electoral transparency in 2023.

He said INEC’s reported preparations for 2027, including technology audits, penetration testing, disaster recovery planning and possible mock-election testing, were important steps towards improving the resilience of electoral systems.

However, he stressed that technological improvements alone would not be sufficient without effective communication, coordination among relevant institutions and timely responses to misleading information.

The expert said information manipulation could have economic, social and security consequences, including financial fraud, identity theft, disruption of essential services, communal suspicion and declining confidence in public institutions.

He also warned that false or unverified reports about attacks, kidnappings and official security operations could trigger panic, expose civilians to danger and complicate the work of security agencies.

Mr Joseph cited a 2024 report by the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies which documented 189 disinformation campaigns across Africa, nearly four times the number recorded in 2022.

He clarified that the figures reflected the continental threat environment rather than the prevalence of disinformation among Nigerians.

To address the challenges, Mr Joseph proposed a five-pillar framework covering governance and law, shared situational awareness, trusted public communication, resilient digital systems and platforms, and public participation through media and digital literacy.

He said the framework should clearly define the responsibilities of relevant agencies, establish secure information-sharing mechanisms and provide trusted channels for issuing verified public alerts during security or electoral incidents.

He also advocated the training of spokespersons, stronger collaboration with fact-checkers and technology platforms, and the establishment of state-level response structures to improve the detection and management of information threats.

Mr Joseph proposed a phased implementation plan beginning with the designation of a national coordinating authority, mapping of agency responsibilities and establishment of incident-response protocols within the first 90 days.

He said the subsequent stages should include multi-agency simulations, training for media practitioners, multilingual digital literacy campaigns and independent assessments of the country’s response capacity.

The expert, however, cautioned against using national security as a justification for suppressing criticism, journalism or lawful dissent.

He said measures to counter disinformation must comply with the law, protect freedom of expression and guarantee due process.

“Cyber security protects the systems, but information integrity protects the public’s ability to understand events and make decisions,” Mr Joseph said in the presentation.

He called for an integrated approach involving government institutions, media organisations, technology platforms, researchers, civil society groups and local communities.

Mr Joseph said building public trust would require timely communication, transparency, evidence-based corrections and accountability rather than secrecy or censorship. 

(NAN)