FactCheckAfrica Applauds Nigeria’s New Curriculum with Fact-Checking, Urges Strong Support for Implementation

September 11, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Abuja, Nigeria – FactCheckAfrica, an independent fact-checking platform, has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to embed fact-checking into Nigeria’s new secondary school curriculum. This groundbreaking reform, which also introduces journalism, artificial intelligence (AI), coding, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship, represents a historic step toward preparing Nigerian students with the skills needed to navigate today’s fast-changing digital and information-driven world.

For decades, misinformation and disinformation have shaped public debates, influenced elections, and fueled social divides. By bringing fact-checking into the classroom, Nigeria is signaling a bold commitment to raising a generation of critical thinkers who can separate truth from falsehood, and who are better equipped to participate responsibly in civic life.

“The inclusion of fact-checking in the national curriculum is a landmark win for Nigeria,” said Olasupo Abideen, Founder of FactCheckAfrica. “But real success depends on more than just policy. It requires real-time investment in infrastructure, teacher training, and inclusive validation with students, teachers, and parents. The government has taken a bold first step, we must now match it with bold preparation.”

FactCheckAfrica has long championed reforms that embed media literacy and fact-checking in African education. The organization has not only advocated for these changes but also piloted innovative projects that demonstrate how young people can learn to navigate misinformation effectively. Notable initiatives include:

• Fact-Check Champs (January 2025): An interactive flashcard game designed to help children across Africa identify and combat misinformation in fun, relatable ways. Validated by education experts and psychologists, and supported by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), the game is already being adopted by schools and after-school programs. Since its launch, we have sub-granted over 26 NGOs and community-based organizations (CBOs) to introduce Fact-Check Champs to pupils in primary and secondary schools across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, equipping thousands of young learners with critical media literacy skills early in life.
• AI in Journalism Curriculum (November 2024): Nigeria’s first higher-education curriculum on AI in journalism, developed after 11 months of research and benchmarking against 133 universities worldwide. Presented at the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE) Conference in Abuja, the program integrates AI-powered fact-checking and ethics into journalism training.
• Fact-Checking in Tertiary Institutions (Since 2023): Training in more than 18 tertiary institutions including universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across Nigeria, equipping thousands of students with critical media literacy and digital rights skills.
• AI Journalism Fellowship (2024): Africa’s first such fellowship, which brought together 41 journalists, academics, and technologists from six West African countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, to learn, integrate and design innovative fact-checking and AI solutions for the region. 
• MyAIFactChecker.org (2024): Africa’s first inclusive AI-powered fact-checking tool, localized in major Nigerian languages and designed for accessibility, ensuring that users, from students in rural communities to professionals in urban centers, can verify information in real-time and under 10 seconds.
• Train-the-Trainer Workshop with Stanford University (2024): Recognizing the multiplier effect of teachers, we co-hosted a training program with Stanford University that equipped Nigerian educators with cutting-edge media literacy and fact-checking methodologies. These teachers are now embedding fact-checking practices in classrooms, ensuring long-term sustainability.

These initiatives underscore FactCheckAfrica’s readiness to support the government in rolling out fact-checking, media and digital literacy at a national scale.

“We stand ready to collaborate with the government to make this vision a reality” said Olasupo. 

Recommendations for Effective Implementation

While the announcement is historic, FactCheckAfrica stresses that the true test lies in implementation. The curriculum’s rollout faces practical challenges, schools resume in just a few weeks, yet preparation is not fully in place. To bridge this gap and ensure long-term success, FactCheckAfrica recommends:

1. Put Infrastructure in Place: Without digital tools, reliable internet, and basic classroom infrastructure, the curriculum will struggle to move from paper to practice. The government should prioritize investment in under-resourced schools, especially in rural and marginalized communities, so that no student is left behind.
2. Train Teachers Who Will Implement: Teachers remain the backbone of this reform. Expanding Train-the-Trainer programs, coupled with micro-certifications and incentives, will ensure that educators are confident, equipped, and motivated to deliver fact-checking lessons.
3. Validate with Students, Teachers, and Parents: For the curriculum to succeed, it must be inclusive and culturally relevant. Piloting the program in select schools and gathering feedback from students, teachers, and parents will help adapt lessons to real-life classroom contexts while building broad-based ownership.
4. Support Research & Knowledge Generation
   Fund policy briefs and user-driven studies that examine classroom outcomes, inform implementation strategies, and adapt globally-aligned best practices to local contexts.
5. Maintain Stakeholder Collaboration: Establish a joint governance committee including the Ministry of Education, curriculum bodies, educators, civil society, and tech experts to guide rollout, quality assurance, and iterative improvement.
6. Use the Rest of 2025 for Preparation: Since schools resume in just a few weeks, it is unrealistic to expect a seamless rollout immediately. The government should dedicate the remaining months of 2025 to preparing materials, piloting lessons, and training teachers, with a full-scale launch planned for 2026. This phased approach will avoid rushed implementation and increase the chances of success.

Why This Matters

The global spread of misinformation poses a serious threat to democracies, economies, and public health systems. For Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy with a young, digitally connected population, building resilience against false information is not optional; it is urgent. By embedding fact-checking into classrooms, Nigeria is not only protecting its information ecosystem but also positioning itself as a continental leader in digital education reform. The curriculum will empower millions of young Nigerians to become informed citizens, ethical digital natives, and future-ready professionals. At FactCheckAfrica, our doors are widely open for collaboration, partnerships, and adoption of our tested tools; from AI-powered fact-checking solutions to educational knowledge products, to ensure this bold reform achieves its fullest potential.

About FactCheckAfrica
FactCheckAfrica advances media integrity and digital literacy across Africa. From flashcard games to AI-powered platforms, and from grassroots initiatives to global convenings, the organization works to ensure that truth is both heard and trusted.

For press inquiries or to collaborate on curriculum implementation, please contact:
Olasupo Abideen,
Founder,
FactCheckAfrica
Email: factcheckelections@gmail.com
Website: factcheckafrica.net