Deepfakes Fuel Spread of Misinformation Across African Nations

Deepfakes Proliferate Across Africa, Posing Growing Threat to Information Integrity

Shortly after Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in Burkina Faso’s second coup in a year in September 2023, a flood of deepfake videos began circulating across social media platforms. These sophisticated fabrications urged Burkinabe citizens to support the military takeover, marking the beginning of a troubling trend.

Since then, Traoré has unwittingly become the star of numerous manufactured videos portraying him in scenarios ranging from diplomatic meetings with world leaders to confrontations with the International Monetary Fund, and even addressing “Pope Leo XIV” in fluent English—despite none of these events ever occurring.

These carefully crafted videos are designed specifically to provoke emotional responses among viewers. As Yaw Kissi, a prominent pan-African writer, explained to HumAngle: “When people hear voices, even artificial ones, boldly articulating what they’ve always felt but rarely heard echoed, it sparks something powerful.”

Deepfakes—AI-generated video or audio content simulating real people to spread misinformation—are rapidly proliferating across the African continent, where most countries lack robust systems to identify and counter such technology. The phenomenon represents a growing crisis for information integrity in regions already grappling with political instability.

In the Sahel region, particularly Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, evidence suggests Russia’s military presence—formerly under the Wagner Group and now rebranded as Africa Corps—is likely behind some deepfakes promoting pro-Russian and pro-junta narratives.

Investigations have revealed that many of Traoré’s fabricated speeches were created by two France-based groups, Black Rebellion and Univers Inspirant, which have devoted over 90% of their content to the Burkinabe junta leader. While these videos generally praise Traoré, experts believe the primary motivation is financial—capitalizing on content that generates millions of views and shares.

“Today, we have an inspiring message from Ibrahim Traoré,” warned London-based IT consultant Adrian Moore in a recent HumAngle interview. “Tomorrow, we could have Ibrahim Traoré promoting prejudice or justifying crimes, and it would be accepted, even acted upon.”

The problem extends far beyond Burkina Faso. Throughout the continent, deepfakes have been deployed in multiple contexts: targeting political rivals during elections, creating synthetic newscasters broadcasting propaganda with faces stolen from unsuspecting models, and fueling conflict narratives. In Sudan’s ongoing civil war, both sides have utilized deepfakes to demonize each other online.

Legitimate media organizations have repeatedly fallen victim to sophisticated deception campaigns. Qatar-based Al Jazeera recently uncovered a network of “ghost reporters”—using identities of deceased individuals—spreading pro-Russian propaganda across West and Central Africa.

Similarly, the African Digital Democracy Observatory discovered a completely fabricated Ghanaian journalist with established social media profiles and a website. This virtual reporter’s apparent credibility enabled the injection of false information about Ghanaian leaders and international organizations into mainstream African news outlets.

Beyond high-tech deepfakes, simpler “cheapfakes” also pose significant threats. These can be as basic as replacing an existing video’s audio track with AI-generated speech mimicking the subject’s voice—a technique requiring minimal technical expertise.

“Thanks to breakthroughs in generative AI, anyone can now be made to say or do virtually anything on screen, with staggering realism,” noted analysts from Ecofin Agency in a recent report.

Raphael Nkolwoudou Afane, a Cameroon-based legal expert specializing in digital law, explains the psychological vulnerability being exploited: “For centuries, visuals equated to proof of authenticity. But today, technology can fabricate incredibly convincing realities. The human brain, untrained to tell the difference between digital trickery and genuine content, is an easy target for these sophisticated illusions.”

Without clear social media regulation across African nations, the threat from deepfakes continues to grow. Meanwhile, major social platforms have scaled back their content moderation efforts even as they become primary information sources for millions.

Some countries are taking action. Between 2018 and 2023, six nations—Algeria, Benin, Egypt, Mauritius, Rwanda and Senegal—developed comprehensive national AI strategies. Several others, including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Ethiopia, are making progress on AI policies aimed at addressing these challenges.

Uganda updated its Computer Misuse Act in 2022 to specifically criminalize the intentional spreading of false information, including deepfakes.

However, experts emphasize that more comprehensive continental action is urgently needed. As Ecofin Agency analysts concluded: “Africa cannot afford to remain passive. The fight for digital truth is deeply tied to issues of sovereignty, democratic stability, and public trust. It is not about rejecting AI progress, but ensuring its responsible use, and putting safeguards in place to prevent its abuse.”