General News
CCC Flags Rising Fake News, Insecurity and Political Distrust Shaping Nigeria’s Pre-Election Climate
Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) has raised fresh concerns over a dangerous convergence of insecurity, political distrust, and disinformation across Nigeria’s information ecosystem, warning that the trend is already shaping public sentiment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In its latest new media and social listening analysis, the Centre reported a growing mix of public emotions—ranging from grief over persistent insecurity to anger at perceived leadership gaps—combined with a countercurrent of government support. CCC described this blend as a “volatile compound sentiment” spreading across digital and traditional platforms.
The study relied on PRrev, an automated AI driven media monitoring and social listening tool developed by IMPR, complemented by human intelligence. It tracked narratives across mainstream and social media relating to security incidents, political developments, economic pressures, religious and ethnic tensions, human rights concerns, misinformation, electoral manipulation, hate speech, and conflict early warning signals. The brief also incorporated regional community listening insights and an assessment of disinformation patterns affecting Nigeria’s socio political landscape.
The 42 page report, produced for Crisis Communication Hub (CCH) stakeholders, analysed conversations on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, WhatsApp groups, online news platforms, and diaspora driven forums. It found that recent national events are increasingly triggering volatile public reactions shaped by both factual developments and coordinated falsehoods.
A key focus of the analysis was the March 16, 2026 triple suicide bombing in Maiduguri, which occurred just as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu departed for an official visit to the United Kingdom from March 17 to 19. CCC said the overlap of these events created what analysts termed a “leadership legitimacy strain,” with competing narratives dominating public discourse.
One of the strongest narratives online argued that national leaders should prioritise domestic crises over foreign engagements. CCC noted that this sentiment quickly evolved from political commentary into a “viral moral judgement,” blurring the line between opinion and fact.
A major highlight of the report was the uncovering of a high impact disinformation campaign tied to the unfolding events. CCC revealed that PRNigeria’s fact checking team detected a fabricated statement falsely attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump, purportedly criticising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his trip to the United Kingdom following the Maiduguri suicide bombings. The fake statement spread rapidly across social media, garnering more than 500,000 views and over 5,200 reposts before corrective information could gain comparable visibility.
CCC warned that the speed, reach, and coordination behind the false narrative reflect the growing sophistication of disinformation networks operating within Nigeria’s digital space.
“The incident represents one of the most consequential disinformation spikes in Nigeria’s emerging 2027 pre election environment,” the report stated.
The analysis also highlighted a widening gap between official communication and public perception, especially during national crises. CCC observed that delayed or inconsistent government responses often create information vacuums quickly filled by speculation, misinformation, and emotionally charged narratives. In today’s hyperconnected environment, the report stressed, timeliness, clarity, and credibility of official communication are critical to shaping public trust.
CCC identified five dominant narrative streams shaping public discourse: leadership accountability versus political loyalty; national security concerns versus diplomatic priorities; public grief amplified by digital outrage; diaspora driven narratives influencing domestic perception; and disinformation campaigns exploiting emotional vulnerabilities.
The Centre warned that the intersection of insecurity, distrust, and disinformation poses a significant threat to national cohesion as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections. CCC cautioned that unchecked fake news could deepen divisions, erode institutional credibility, and undermine democratic processes.
The report called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s crisis communication architecture, including real-time digital monitoring systems, strengthened fact-checking mechanisms, improved inter-agency coordination, and strategic engagement with media and digital influencers. It also urged stakeholders to prioritise media literacy and public awareness to help citizens identify and resist false information.
CCC concluded that the current media environment offers a preview of the challenges likely to define Nigeria’s pre election landscape. “The convergence of insecurity, political narratives, and digital misinformation is no longer incidental—it is systemic,” the report warned.
It stressed that without proactive intervention, Nigeria could face a deeper crisis of public trust as the election season approaches. The findings underscore the urgent need for credible, transparent, and technology-driven communication strategies to safeguard national stability in the digital age.
Federal government recently received a proposed protocol agreement from India that could pave the way for agricultural cooperation between the two countries.
Abishek Singh, India’s high commissioner to Nigeria, announced the proposal recently n Abuja during the India-Nigeria Business Forum on Agriculture and Allied Sectors.
New Delhi’s proposed cooperation would support Nigeria’s food security efforts, with the goal of reducing post-harvest losses by nearly 50% and expanding agricultural processing.
It would also cover technology transfers, mechanization, financing solutions and capacity building.
Abuja has opened similar discussions with China.
Only recently, Mukhtar Muhammed, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, said Nigeria wanted to deepen scientific and technological cooperation with Beijing in agriculture.
The discussions with China have focused on developing low-cost, solar-powered cold storage facilities and transferring food-processing technologies.
Nigeria, also wants to work with Chinese research institutes to develop infrastructure that can improve the preservation of perishable products.
Nigeria’s outreach to its Asian partners addresses a major problem for the agricultural sector.
The Bank of Agriculture (BoA) estimates that Africa’s most populous country loses 30 million to 40 million tons of food each year before it reaches consumers.
Those losses are worth an average of about N3.5 trillion ($2.5 billion) annually, according to data the institution presented at a workshop in Kaduna in July 2026.
Perishable products are particularly vulnerable, according to local media reports, with fruits and vegetables accounting for an estimated 40% to 50% of total losses.
The government has already launched its own response to the problem.
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) indicted the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and other ministries over administrative lapses that allowed the fictitious Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) to operate.
Musa Aliyu, chairman, ICPC, stated that NITDA, alongside the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), the Budget Office, and other bodies, failed to carry out adequate due diligence and standard operating procedures.
ICPC said however, clarified that the findings pointed to severe internal control weaknesses and administrative negligence rather than active official complicity by NITDA and the other affected agencies.
The briefing followed a 30-day investigation ordered by the president on July 7 into allegations surrounding the purported presidential council.
The commission also cleared the presidency and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of any wrongdoing but blamed institutional lapses in several ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Aliyu said investigators established that Adeniyi Adeyemi, the director-general, was never appointed by the federal government and that the PFIPC had no legal existence.
“As you may recall, on the 7th of July, Mr. President directed the ICPC to conduct an investigation into the fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and submit a report within 30 days,” he said.
“Today, exactly within the stipulated period, we have submitted an interim report based on our interactions with all stakeholders involved.”
According to Aliyu, Tinubu directed the commission to make its findings public in the interest of transparency and accountability.
He said the investigation found that Adeyemi’s purported appointment letter was forged.
“It has been established that Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was never appointed by the Federal Government or any authority whatsoever,” he said.
“The Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, which sometimes they called the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, was never established by any law, executive order or any valid instrument of government.
“The appointment letter presented by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was completely forged alongside similar documents used to perpetuate the illegal activities of the fake agency.”
Aliyu stated that a purported government gazette used to legitimise the organisation was also fabricated.
“If you recall, there was a gazette which he used to support the fake agency. That gazette is an illegal document that never passed through the processes prescribed by law,” he stated.
“Our investigation found that the office used by the fake agency was the office of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. The office was broken into and access was gained illegally. That was how he was able to operate from there.”
Aliyu also revealed that investigators uncovered two additional fictitious government agencies allegedly created by the suspect — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency/Public-Private Partnership (FIPA-PPP).
According to him, fake legislative instruments were used to create the agencies and open bank accounts.
Despite the elaborate scheme, the ICPC chairman said the investigation found no evidence that federal government funds were disbursed to the fake council.
“Our investigation found that no funds of the federal government were approved or disbursed to the fake PFIPC,” he said.
“We also discovered no weaknesses in the systems of the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria during our investigation. The fake appointment letter did not originate from the presidency.
“Our investigation found that some public officers failed to carry out due diligence and failed to comply with standard operating procedures in their ministries and departments. That gave him the opportunity to carry out these illegal acts.”
Nigeria tax system is build on taxing prosperity not poverty, according to Dr. Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman, Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).
Dr. Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman, Nigeria Revenue Service
Adedeji, also dismissed the insinuation that the government’s tax reform is aimed at extracting money from Nigerians .
He said the essence of reform is creating an economic environment where individuals and businesses can prosper.
Dr. Adedeji made the clarifications on Sunday night while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he defended the administration’s tax reforms and addressed concerns over rising government revenue amid the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
According to him, the government’s objective is to tax the fruits of investment rather than the investment itself.
“For us at Nigeria Tax, we are not there to extract. Our focus is not revenue. I don’t want to tax poverty. I’m to tax the fruit, not the seed, and I’m to tax the return, not investment.”
Adedeji explained that the government would generate more revenue as businesses became more profitable, without necessarily increasing the tax burden on individuals and companies.
He said a company that made N100 in profit could generate N30 in tax revenue for the government, but if its profit increased to N200 or N300, government revenue would rise accordingly.
“So, if I want to make more, I must work for you to make more. And that is why it is in the best interest of us in Nigeria Revenue Service that businesses are doing well, individuals are doing well,” he said.
He said the approach was consistent with President Bola Tinubu’s economic agenda, which seeks to remove barriers to investment and create a more conducive environment for businesses to operate and expand.
Adedeji cited reforms in the electricity sector as part of the government’s efforts to stimulate economic activity.
He noted that the Electricity Act had devolved powers to state governments to generate, transmit and distribute electricity, arguing that improved power supply would boost production and productivity across the economy.
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