ABUJA — A media and communication expert, Dr. Tope Ojeme, has called on Artificial Intelligence (AI) developers across Africa to create digital tools capable of detecting fake news and combating unethical media practices, warning that the growing tide of disinformation poses a grave threat to democratic values on the continent.
Ojeme, a lecturer at Baze University, Abuja, made the appeal during the closing ceremony of the Second Quarter Courses of the West Africa Broadcast Media Academy (WABMA) held in Abuja. His remarks were delivered through a statement issued Wednesday in Port Harcourt by Joseph Obari, the academy’s Registrar.
In his presentation titled “Beyond Debunking: Building a Culture of Media Integrity in Africa’s Next Century,” Ojeme emphasized the urgent need to confront misinformation and disinformation, which he described as a digital plague spreading unchecked across Africa.
“We must empower African developers, engineers, and creators to build AI-powered fact-checking plugins for newsrooms, and blockchain-based archives to safeguard journalistic content from tampering,” Ojeme said. “These tools will also help secure open-data platforms, enabling citizens to demand accountability from their leaders.”
Ojeme warned that if decisive action is not taken, African societies could soon become overrun by conspiracy theories, deepfake videos, and fabricated content that distort truth and manipulate public perception.
“We could soon find ourselves in a world where fake cures go viral, conspiracy theories infiltrate classrooms, and elections are manipulated by digital bots,” he cautioned.
He further argued that while technology has contributed to the spread of falsehoods, it can also be harnessed to promote truth—provided AI tools are developed with ethical frameworks and intelligent algorithms that prioritize verified content.
Ojeme proposed the establishment of “truth desks” in newsrooms, stronger legal protections for investigative journalists, and a continental movement to institutionalize fact-based reporting.
“This looming threat highlights the urgency of building systems of truth—ecosystems of integrity that defend the public’s right to factual, trustworthy information,” he said. “We live in an age of noise, where speed trumps accuracy and the loudest voices drown out the most valuable ones.”
Earlier, Dr. Ken Okere, Rector of WABMA, reaffirmed the academy’s commitment to training not just technically proficient media professionals but also ethically grounded communicators. He noted that WABMA’s mission includes fostering critical thinking and a deep understanding of the power and responsibility that comes with media influence.
Okere also presented certificates to participants who completed the media and communication courses, and awarded cash prizes to the top three winners of the DebunkIt Challenge, a contest designed to commemorate the 100th edition of the WABMA Fake News Debunker, which launched in April 2022.