The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it has trained more than 500 journalists across 12 member states to combat electoral disinformation and strengthen information integrity ahead of elections in the region.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Commission disclosed this during a two-day capacity-building workshop for journalists and Wikipedia editors themed “Strengthening Electoral Information Integrity through Responsible Journalism, Fact-Checking and Open Knowledge.”
Speaking on behalf of Joel Ahofodji, ECOWAS Director of Communication, Chukuemeka Ezekiel said the increasing spread of misinformation, hate speech and manipulated digital content posed significant threats to democracy, public trust, peace and security.
He warned that the growing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) had made it easier to create convincing but fabricated images, videos, audio recordings and narratives capable of misleading voters and undermining confidence in electoral institutions.
According to him, ECOWAS considers information integrity a critical component of its mandate to promote democracy, good governance, peace and security across West Africa.
He disclosed that the Commission had established the ECOWAS Disinformation Working Group to strengthen regional coordination and develop a collective response to the growing challenge of information disorder.
Ahofodji said the group’s second meeting, held in Accra, Ghana, from October 15 to 16, 2026, focused on institutional coordination, capacity development and the ECOWAS Information Integrity Roadmap 2026–2030.
He identified fact-checking, open-source intelligence, digital verification, digital safety, conflict-sensitive reporting and media literacy as key areas of the Commission’s capacity-building programmes.
The ECOWAS representative also cited the National Misinformation and Disinformation Response Centre in The Gambia as an example of efforts to strengthen national responses to false information.
He said the centre, inaugurated in April 2026 with strategic support from ECOWAS, provides real-time fact-checking, early warning services and media and information literacy initiatives.
However, Ahofodji cautioned that efforts to combat disinformation must not undermine freedom of expression, media independence or access to information.
He stressed that countering false narratives should never become an excuse for censorship.
Addressing participants, he urged journalists to prioritise accuracy over speed, verify information sources and carefully scrutinise digital content, particularly when reporting elections, political transitions and security developments.
He also emphasised the importance of collaboration between professional journalists and Wikipedia editors in making credible and properly sourced information about ECOWAS and democratic developments in West Africa more accessible.
Ahofodji urged participants to develop practical action plans to translate lessons from the workshop into improved newsroom practices, fact-checking initiatives and responsible public information activities.
He maintained that addressing information disorder required collective action involving governments, electoral institutions, journalists, civil society organisations, technology platforms, researchers and citizens.
The ECOWAS representative reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to building a resilient regional information environment that promotes democratic governance, strengthens public trust and advances the aspirations of the Community under ECOWAS Vision 2050.
