Ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections, FIAP, through its implementing partner FactCheckAfrica, has trained journalists, broadcasters, editors, fact-checkers and other media practitioners to produce accurate, ethical and inclusive electoral information in indigenous languages
The three-day training programme, held from October 13 to 15, 2026, in Akwa Ibom State, brought together 25 participants, including Ripples Nigeria’ Arinze Chijioke for practical sessions on misinformation, electoral terminology, translation accuracy, verification and ethical reporting.
The programme was implemented under the European Union Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project, Thematic Area 1: Mis/Disinformation, Fact-checking and AI Learning.
Tackling Electoral Misinformation in Indigenous Languages
In his Opening address, Programme Lead at FactCheck Africa, Mustapha Lawal, said that the training was intended to address the growing importance of indigenous-language communication in Nigeria’s electoral information environment, where citizens rely on radio, social media, voice notes, community networks and interpersonal communication to access information.
He said that participants would examine how misinformation and disinformation spread through formal media channels and informal communication networks, particularly how meanings can change when information is translated, summarised, forwarded or reproduced in different contexts.
During the training, participants explored common forms of electoral misinformation, including fabricated announcements, misleading election dates, false voting instructions, manipulated translations, altered results and misleading political claims.
The sessions focused on key issues, from the indigenous language information ecosystems, electoral concepts and the problem of translation to how misinformation travels in indigenous languages and how to preserve factual meaning, contexts, attribution, uncertainty and neutrality when translating electoral information.
Participants were encouraged to preserve the meaning, context and procedural accuracy of official electoral information when communicating it across languages.
Yoruba, Igbo and Ibibio Electoral Glossaries Developed
A key outcome of the workshop was the development of electoral language resources in three Southern Nigerian languages: Yoruba, Igbo and Ibibio.
Participants reviewed and validated existing draft electoral glossaries in Yoruba and Igbo, while developing an Ibibio glossary from scratch. The inclusion of Ibibio reflected the need to make the resources relevant to the linguistic context of Akwa Ibom State, where the training was held.
The participants also developed language-specific style sheets for the three languages to promote consistency in electoral terminology, spelling, translation and editorial usage.
Lawa said that the glossaries and style sheets are intended to serve as practical references for journalists, broadcasters, editors, fact-checkers and translators working to communicate electoral information accurately and consistently.
The resource-development process highlighted that electoral translation goes beyond substituting words from one language for another. Practitioners must preserve the meaning of official statements, account for linguistic and cultural contexts, use terminology consistently and ensure that translations do not introduce ambiguity or distort the original information.
Training Emphasises Verification and Ethical Reporting
The programme also combined expert-led presentations with facilitated discussions, practical exercises, collaborative resource development and peer review.
Participants explored verification and quality-control practices for indigenous-language electoral content, including tracing original sources, checking official information, corroborating claims and reviewing translations before publication or broadcast.
The sessions also examined the ethical responsibilities of media practitioners reporting on vulnerable and underserved communities. Discussions emphasised evidence-based reporting, appropriate attribution, contextual accuracy and consideration of potential harm.
Participants were cautioned against circulating claims simply because they were widely shared or delivered in an authoritative-sounding voice. They were encouraged to strengthen editorial checks for electoral announcements, political claims, voice notes and result-related information, particularly where inaccurate reporting could mislead voters or undermine public confidence.
FactCheckAfrica Highlights Importance of Language Inclusion
Speaking on the significance of the intervention, Abideen Olasupo, founder of FactCheckAfrica, said electoral information was useful only when citizens could understand it accurately in languages they trust and use.
“Electoral information is only useful when people can understand it accurately in the language they trust and use. In a multilingual country like Nigeria, translating electoral information is not simply about changing words from one language to another; it is about preserving meaning, context and accuracy so that citizens can make informed decisions,” he said.
Olasupo added that validating the Yoruba and Igbo glossary drafts and developing an Ibibio draft were practical steps towards ensuring that indigenous-language communities were not excluded from access to reliable electoral information.
He said the resources would help journalists and broadcasters communicate electoral concepts more consistently, verify claims more effectively and contribute to a more informed electorate ahead of the 2027 elections.
Participants Commit to Applying Lessons
The workshop encouraged participants to identify practical ways of integrating the glossaries and style sheets into their professional and organisational workflows.
The resources are expected to support consistent editorial decisions, improve translation review and strengthen the accuracy of electoral reporting beyond the training.
The activity concluded with a post-training assessment, participant feedback and Take Action Forms to document learning outcomes and commitments to applying the knowledge gained.
Follow-up monitoring is expected to assess how the resources are used in professional practice and whether participating organisations incorporate the recommended approaches into their editorial processes.
By: Arinze Chijioke
The post FIAP, FactCheckAfrica train journalists on electoral reporting in indigenous languages appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.