The Fundación para la Internacionalización de las Administraciones Públicas (FIAP) has collaborated with FactCheckAfrica to train journalists, fact-checkers, and Wikimedia professionals in Abuja on electoral information integrity. This three-day capacity training, part of the European Union Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project, aims to strengthen the capacity of participants to counter disinformation and improve the quality of election-related information. The training programme included an Interactive Media Seminar and Edit-a-thon.
The training programme centered on enhancing the skills of Wikimedia editors, newsroom editors, and fact-checkers. Participants learned how to verify sources, fact-check, and investigate digitally. The goal is to make verified information more accessible and durable within Nigeria’s information ecosystem. Founder of FactCheckAfrica, Abideen Olasupo, noted that the collaboration between fact-checkers, journalists, and Wikimedia contributors provides an important pathway for making verified information more accessible.
Abideen Olasupo emphasized that the goal of the training is not simply to correct information once it becomes viral but to strengthen the systems. He stated that accurate, well-sourced information should be documented, reviewed, and made accessible to the public. Olasupo added that the professionals are creating a practical workflow that can support information integrity beyond the training room.
A participant and Wikipedia Editor, Chinaza Ikechukwu, recounted her experience as both practical and empowering. She gained hands-on skills in fact-checking, source verification, and open-source digital investigation. Ikechukwu noted that she is now better equipped to maintain accurate, neutral, and well-sourced content that strengthens information integrity.
The training resulted in significant outcomes, with participants creating 30 articles, editing 99 articles, and making 437 total edits. They added approximately 133,000 words and 814 references. The activity also recorded 13 Wikimedia Commons uploads and approximately 10,200 article views.
The Abuja seminar is part of the broader EPSG intervention on mis/disinformation, fact-checking, and artificial intelligence learning. This intervention seeks to strengthen the capacity of relevant actors to respond to information threats affecting peace, security, and democratic governance in the ECOWAS region.
The training is particularly relevant given the upcoming 2027 general elections in Nigeria. The programme aims to promote electoral integrity by enhancing the skills of journalists, fact-checkers, and Wikimedia professionals. By doing so, it seeks to ensure that accurate information is available to the public, thereby promoting informed decision-making.
Key points
- FIAP and FactCheckAfrica collaborate to train journalists and fact-checkers on electoral information integrity ahead of 2027 elections.
- The training programme included an Interactive Media Seminar and Edit-a-thon to enhance the skills of participants.
- The programme aims to promote electoral integrity by enhancing the skills of journalists, fact-checkers, and Wikimedia professionals.
