New Study to Examine Misinformation Spread and Digital Inequality Across Africa

A team of researchers from the University of Exeter has launched a groundbreaking project aimed at countering misinformation in Africa and understanding the continent’s growing digital divides. The research comes at a critical time when social media’s influence on political movements across Africa continues to expand.

Dr. Elena Gadjanova, a leading expert in digital technology’s impact on citizen-state relations in Africa, will spearhead the initiative after receiving a prestigious British Academy Innovation Fellowship. Her work will examine how increasing access to digital technologies and social media is reshaping multiple aspects of African society across four key nations: Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia.

The research will focus on several critical areas, including how digital technologies influence political dynamics, affect political parties’ organizational capabilities, impact campaign strategies, and potentially compromise electoral integrity. Additionally, the project will investigate social media’s role in exacerbating socio-economic inequalities and track how misinformation spreads through digital channels.

“I’m thankful to be awarded this fellowship, a result of my work over several years on the role and impact of digital technologies in Africa while here at Exeter,” Dr. Gadjanova said. She emphasized that the fellowship builds upon her established research networks across multiple African countries and her experience engaging with policymakers on these issues.

The project will directly support the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) by enhancing its capacity to analyze the various impacts of digital technologies on socio-economic transformation and power dynamics in Africa. This cooperation aims to ensure that UK government decisions are based on current research and evidence, particularly in rapidly evolving policy environments.

“This fellowship will improve the FCDO’s capacity to respond to a fast-moving policy environment,” Dr. Gadjanova noted. “My research can inform the FCDO’s ongoing work on democracy support, electoral integrity, media freedom, and countering the spread of social media disinformation in Africa.”

Dr. Gadjanova’s expertise in this field is well-established. She has previously provided briefings to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding African elections. Her research findings were cited by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) in its evidence of electoral irregularities submitted to the Kenyan Supreme Court in August 2017, underscoring the real-world impact of her work.

The project comes amid growing concerns about the role of foreign-led disinformation campaigns across Africa and how online movements translate into offline protests. Dr. Gadjanova’s research will specifically examine which social media campaigns become viral and how they influence protest movements beyond digital spaces.

Dr. Gadjanova emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to combat misinformation: “It is crucial everyone works together to battle the offline spread of misinformation originating online.” She suggested that improved digital literacy programs and enhanced institutional monitoring could help mitigate the harmful effects of online misinformation.

The research also points toward structural solutions, with Dr. Gadjanova noting the “need to improve party institutionalisation to harness the potential of digital technologies to empower new political actors, increase political trust, and improve government accountability.”

Funded by the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT), the British Academy Innovation Fellowships scheme aims to create deeper connections beyond academia by supporting researchers who partner with organizations in various sectors to address complex challenges requiring innovative solutions.

As Africa continues its digital transformation, the findings from this project will likely prove valuable not only to the UK government but also to African governments, civil society organizations, and technology companies seeking to foster healthier digital environments across the continent.