Fact-Checking Organizations Monitor Misinformation Ahead of Anambra 2025 Gubernatorial Election

Nigerian fact-checkers have launched an intensive effort to combat misinformation ahead of next year’s gubernatorial election in Anambra State, as political tensions rise and social media becomes flooded with unverified claims.

DUBAWA, working alongside partners in the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC), began real-time monitoring operations this week to identify and debunk false narratives circulating about the November 8, 2025 election. The initiative aims to provide voters with accurate information amid a growing tide of misinformation.

The southeastern state’s upcoming election has already generated significant online discussion more than a year before polling day, with debates intensifying around voter participation, security concerns, and campaign activities. Fact-checkers have noted that this early surge in political conversation has been accompanied by potentially misleading content spreading across various social media platforms.

“The pre-election period is critical for information integrity,” explained a spokesperson for the coalition. “What voters encounter now shapes their perceptions and could ultimately influence their decisions at the polls.”

The fact-checking initiative includes a dedicated online portal where verified information will be published, allowing voters to cross-check claims they encounter. The coalition will focus particularly on statements related to candidate qualifications, voting procedures, and security situations—topics that have historically been targets for misinformation campaigns in Nigerian elections.

Anambra State, one of Nigeria’s commercial hubs and home to the massive Onitsha market, has experienced contentious elections in previous cycles. The state’s strategic economic importance and complex political landscape make it particularly vulnerable to information manipulation, according to political analysts.

The 2025 election will mark the end of Governor Charles Soludo’s first term, with the former Central Bank governor expected to seek re-election amid challenges from opposition parties. This high-stakes political environment creates fertile ground for misinformation, experts warn.

Nigeria’s electoral landscape has increasingly been shaped by social media narratives, with platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter serving as primary information sources for many voters. A 2023 study by the Centre for Democracy and Development found that over 60 percent of Nigerian voters encountered election-related misinformation online during the last general election cycle.

The fact-checking coalition’s work represents part of a broader effort to strengthen democratic processes in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation. Similar initiatives during the 2023 general elections helped identify hundreds of false claims, though fact-checkers acknowledge the challenge of ensuring corrections reach the same audience that viewed the original misinformation.

“The speed at which false information spreads often outpaces verification efforts,” noted a media analyst at the University of Nigeria. “Pre-emptive fact-checking and media literacy are becoming essential components of election preparation.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has welcomed the fact-checking initiative, with officials stating that accurate information is crucial for voter confidence and peaceful elections. The commission has previously identified misinformation as one of the key challenges to conducting credible polls in Nigeria.

Civil society organizations have also emphasized the importance of such efforts in protecting democratic processes, particularly in a region that has faced security challenges in recent years.

As the election date approaches, the coalition plans to expand its monitoring operations and collaborate with mainstream media organizations to amplify verified information. The fact-checkers have urged members of the public to verify information before sharing and to report suspicious content for verification.

The Anambra gubernatorial election is expected to be closely watched as a potential indicator of political trends ahead of Nigeria’s next general elections in 2027.