FIAP and FactCheckAfrica Convene Abuja Regional Workshop to Strengthen Media and Civil Society Capacity for Democratic and Peaceful Elections in Nigeria
Under the EU Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project
Abuja, Nigeria — The Fundación para la Internacionalización de las Administraciones Públicas (FIAP), through its implementing frontline partner FactCheckAfrica, has convened a three-day regional capacity-building workshop in Abuja aimed at strengthening the role of journalists, fact-checkers, and civil society organisations in promoting democratic and peaceful elections in Nigeria.
The workshop, titled “Truth at the Ballot: Strengthening Media and Civil Society for Democratic and Peaceful Elections in Nigeria”, is being held from 18 – 20 May 2026 under Activity 3.1.5a(2)i of the EU Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project.
The Abuja workshop brings together 35 participants drawn from Nigeria’s North-Central, North-East, and North-West geopolitical zones, including journalists, fact-checkers, civic actors, researchers, and media development practitioners working at the intersection of information integrity, democratic accountability, and electoral peacebuilding.
The training focuses on strengthening participants’ capacity to respond to electoral misinformation, hate speech, coordinated online manipulation, and emerging artificial intelligence-related risks ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Over the course of the workshop, participants will engage in practical sessions on verification and fact-checking, open-source intelligence (OSINT), digital investigations, hate speech analysis, safe journalism during elections, gender-sensitive reporting, youth-inclusive civic communication, and ethical applications of generative AI within media ecosystems.
The workshop also provides a platform for cross-regional collaboration and peer learning among frontline actors working to safeguard democratic processes and strengthen public trust in information during electoral periods.
Speaking on the significance of the initiative, FactCheckAfrica noted that strengthening information integrity and supporting ethical, evidence-based journalism remain essential to protecting democratic participation and reducing the risks associated with misinformation and electoral violence.
According to Abideen Olasupo, Founder of FactCheckAfrica, the initiative reflects the growing need to strengthen democratic resilience through ethical journalism, evidence-based communication, and collaborative responses to information disorder.
“As Nigeria approaches another critical electoral cycle, it is increasingly important to equip journalists, fact-checkers, and civic actors with the tools and knowledge necessary to counter misinformation, strengthen public trust, and promote peaceful democratic participation. This workshop is part of a broader effort to support information integrity and democratic accountability across the region,” he said.
The Abuja regional workshop forms part of a broader intervention that includes a second regional training in Lagos and a post-workshop mentoring programme designed to support participating organisations in applying lessons learned within their respective institutions and communities.
This workshop is organised by Fundación para la Internacionalización de las Administraciones Públicas (FIAP) in collaboration with FactCheckAfrica,under the framework of the EU Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project.
The Fundación para la Internacionalización de las Administraciones Públicas (FIAP) is the Spanish Cooperation entity specialised in promoting the participation of public administrations in Spanish and European cooperation programmes and projects. FIAP supports the development of public systems in more than 120 countries by mobilising public sector expertise to foster the exchange of knowledge and experience between counterpart institutions from different countries. As a public foundation, FIAP’s work forms part of Spain’s and Europe’s external action.
FIAP is currently co-implementing Component 3 of the EPSG Project in West Africa with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), focusing on strengthening electoral processes through the prevention of electoral violence and the countering of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech.
The overall objective of the EPSG Project is to enhance peace, security, and governance within the ECOWAS region. The project is a multi-donor initiative co-financed by the European Union (EU), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (MOFA).
For media enquiries:
FactCheckAfrica
Website: https://factcheckafrica.net/ | factcheckelections@gmail.com | +2347068775529
