Ministry of Information Omits Anti-Misinformation Initiatives from 2026 Budget

Nigerian Information Ministry Neglects Funding for Fake News Prevention Despite ₦98.2 Billion Budget

The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation has allocated no funds to combat fake news in its 2026 budget, despite receiving a total allocation of ₦98.2 billion. This conspicuous omission comes as Nigeria faces increasing challenges from misinformation, particularly with another election cycle on the horizon.

The ministry has not only failed to increase funding to address misinformation but has completely removed the budget line that existed in 2024, when it had earmarked ₦24.5 million for tackling fake news—an amount experts had already criticized as grossly inadequate. The only remotely related item in the current budget is a ₦14 million allocation for training ministry officers in fact-checking techniques.

This budgetary decision stands in stark contrast to President Bola Tinubu’s promises when presenting the ₦58.47 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly. The budget, titled “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” was framed as a tool to consolidate economic reforms and improve living standards for Nigerians. However, it appears to overlook one of the country’s most pressing challenges.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026 identifies misinformation and disinformation as the second most severe short-term global risk, outranked only by geoeconomic confrontation and surpassing numerous economic, environmental, and security threats.

Nigeria has experienced firsthand the destructive impact of misinformation. During the 2023 general elections, social media platforms were flooded with doctored photos, videos, and misleading text messages. Similar patterns emerged in the recent Anambra election, where the Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition later debunked numerous false claims about election violence, vote-buying, and widespread malpractice.

The nation’s international image has also suffered due to misinformation. Following comments by a former U.S. president designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution of Christians, misleading narratives intensified, creating diplomatic tensions. Separatist groups like the Indigenous People of Biafra have leveraged social media platforms to spread false claims about the country, at times contributing to international diplomatic strain.

More recently, Nigeria’s new tax reforms have been subject to widespread misinterpretation online, with little official response to clarify the legislation.

Caleb Ijioma, Executive Director of Round Check, warns that information disorder poses a serious threat to the upcoming 2027 general elections. “With political activities already picking up ahead of the 2027 elections, one would expect the Ministry of Information and National Orientation Agency to be more proactive in curbing the spread of misinformation,” he said.

Ijioma emphasized how misinformation has evolved into a strategic tool for manipulating voter perception. “We have seen its impact in previous elections. It is getting more serious and has now become a global problem. Bad actors continue to deploy sophisticated techniques to undermine electoral processes and incite violence,” he noted.

He pointed to Oxford’s 2025 Word of the Year—”rage bait”—as evidence of how emotionally charged, misleading content is deliberately deployed to drive online engagement. The lack of adequate funding to combat these threats leaves Nigeria’s information space vulnerable to manipulation.

“It sends a signal that Nigeria is not prepared to confront misinformation as a global threat—one that has continued to negatively affect the country,” Ijioma warned, adding that failure to address misinformation could weaken national institutions across health, political, and economic sectors.

Proper funding would enable the development of targeted interventions against misinformation, including dedicated projects to promote media and information literacy. It would also facilitate partnerships with specialized organizations at a time when misinformation represents a growing threat to democracy and economic stability.

As Nigeria approaches another election cycle—typically a period when false narratives intensify—the ministry’s failure to allocate resources to combat misinformation raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to protecting the integrity of its information ecosystem.