A new report by TechCabal has revealed that 62 per cent of young Nigerians are discouraged from participating in Nigerian politics due to misinformation.
The report titled: “Citizen Report 2025” and produced by TechCabal Insights and The Citizen by Zikoko team found that misinformation is widespread, with 94 per cent of respondents encountering false narratives about political events, mostly on social media.
This trend, according to the report, is fueling distrust in institutions and weakening democratic participation.
The report, launched on February 25, 2025 at the Citizen Townhall event in Abuja, states that disinformation campaigns often peak during critical moments, such as elections and protests, to manipulate public perception.
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It cites the recently concluded Ghanaian elections, where at least 171 fake accounts on X (formerly Twitter) were deployed to spread false information.
Similarly, during the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria, coordinated misinformation was used to discredit protesters and distort the movement’s objectives, the report stated.
The report highlights growing concerns over digital security noting that 93 per cent of Nigerian youths worry about online safety, with many falling victim to scams, impersonation, and other cyber threats.
The report attributes these vulnerabilities to the vast amounts of personal data users unknowingly leave behind online, making them easy targets for fraudsters.
The report also raises alarm over the rise of AI-generated disinformation, warning that bad actors are exploiting artificial intelligence to create deceptive content.
It states that globally, deepfake videos increased by over 1,000% between 2022 and 2023, and 53% of Nigerian youths are now concerned about the threat of AI-generated misinformation.
Despite these challenges, the report finds that some Nigerian youths are taking proactive steps to protect themselves.
According to its findings, 84% use two-factor authentication (2FA) to secure their digital identities, 59% verify news before sharing, and 54% have reported misinformation on social media. However, the report suggests that individual efforts alone are not enough to curb misinformation and digital threats.
The report acknowledges government efforts, such as the Cybercrime Act and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) digital literacy initiatives, which aim to raise digital literacy level to 70% by 2027.
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However, it argues that more investment is needed in fact-checking organizations, which currently rely heavily on international funding.
The report recommends integrating digital literacy into basic education, launching awareness campaigns where young people are most active, and enacting regulations that ensure AI-generated content is clearly identified.
It warns that without urgent action, misinformation will continue to erode trust in political institutions and discourage young Nigerians from engaging in governance.
Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via [email protected] and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.
