Nigerian tech firms are actively leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to combat disinformation and promote the preservation and inclusion of local languages. This double AI-powered approach addresses the challenges of misinformation spread, especially on social media platforms, as well as the digital marginalization of indigenous languages.
These media organizations and tech firms are deploying AI-powered tools to fight fake news, particularly on platforms like Whastapp and Telegram, where misinformation is so quick to spread and difficult to monitor. Studies have shown that false information can spread up to six times faster than real news on social media. To address this, Nigerian organizations have developed AI-powered tools that can help verify information quickly and accurately.
For example, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development launched Dubawa, a fact-checking initiative and an AI-powered chatbot in May 2024 that allows users to submit and verify claims in real time via Whatsapp. The chatbot cross-checks information in real time and provides links to credible sources, making fact-checking accessible even on closed messaging platforms like Whatsapp where misinformation often thrives.
Similarly, FactCheckAfrica created MyAIFactChecker, an AI tool that verifies news articles and social media posts by sourcing data from trusted international organizations like the World Bank and the United Nations. These AI tools support journalists and the public in distinguishing fact from fiction.
The Nigerian government is also actively involved. The government and media stakeholders have emphasized the ethical use of AI, transparency, and media literacy to balance AI’s benefits with risks like misinformation and bias. The country is now preparing regulatory frameworks under existing laws like the Nigeria Data Protection Act (2023).
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has also recently raised concerns about the misuse of AI for creating deepfake videos that spread false and damaging content about public officials. To combat this, the government is working with UNESCO to “sanitize the social media space” while protecting freedom of expression. Additionally, the government has established the world’s first UNESCO-approved Media and Information Literacy Institute to train journalists and citizens in navigating digital content responsibly.
Nigeria being Africa’s most populous country is also home to hundreds of indigenous languages, many of which now face the risk of extinction or fading away in the digital age. As a result, AI technologies are now being used to preserve and promote these languages, ensuring they remain woven into the fabric of the entire country, and at large, remain part of Nigeria’s digital future.
Hence, the development of AI models that understand and process Nigerian languages by research groups and tech startups. For instance, Dataphyte has recently collaborated with Meta to create datasets that improve speech recognition and machine translation for local languages. The University of Benin also announced last year that it will be focusing on AI research on indigenous language preservation, using natural language processing and generative AI to develop tools that can translate news and other content into native tongues.
Similarly, EqualyzAI, an Afro-centric startup, is on a mission to ensure artificial intelligence can understand and communicate in African languages, starting with Nigeria’s numerous indigenous languages. This approach involves creating hyperlocal multimodal datasets that are developed in collaboration with native language speakers, thereby enabling the construction of agentic AI solutions capable of understanding, processing, and generating responses in numerous African languages.
These efforts help ensure cultural nuances, preserve cultural heritage, and make information more accessible to rural and marginalized communities.
