Fighting misinformation is difficult for African media companies ―Olasupo

Abideen Olasupo is a tri-sector business leader, technology consultant, and AI in journalism expert dedicated to driving impact at the intersection of development, innovation, and strategy. In this interview with IFEDAYO OGUNYEMI, the founder of FactCheckAfrica speaks on challenges of misinformation in Nigeria today and other issues.

How would you describe the current state of media and technology in Africa, particularly in relation to information dissemination and digital literacy?

Social media, smartphone usage, and the growth of digital platforms are the main causes of the rapid changes in Africa’s media and technology landscape. Social media has the power to positively and negatively impact how information is shared. Positively, social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp have made information more widely available, encouraging activism, civic engagement, and real-time communication. It has also facilitated entrepreneurship by providing small businesses and artists a platform to reach a worldwide audience. However, social networking also has its disadvantages. Many people now find it difficult to discern between reliable and unreliable information due to misinformation, fake news, and the emergence of deepfakes. These days, it’s simpler to produce hyper-realistic but false information due to AI-driven tools, which can exacerbate ethnic tensions, scams, and political instability. Particularly in nations with poor levels of digital literacy, ethical worries about data exploitation, privacy abuses, and AI-generated material are becoming more prevalent.

Fintech, e-commerce, and mobile technology have all seen significant technological breakthroughs in Africa. As mobile money systems transform financial inclusion, nations like South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya have emerged as centres of innovation. Applications driven by AI are enhancing healthcare, education, and agriculture while assisting in closing service delivery gaps. Additionally, as blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) gain traction in industries like supply chain management and identity verification, the continent is witnessing a rise in investment in local businesses. Even with these developments, a sizable digital divide persists. Many rural and underprivileged areas still lack access to electricity, affordable internet, and basic digital infrastructure. Many individuals remain disconnected even though technology is developing in urban areas due to a lack of resources, illiteracy, and inefficient government laws. Governments, businesses, and international organisations must work together to decrease this gap so that technological breakthroughs benefit all Africans, not just the privileged few in cities.

 

What are the major challenges facing media organisations in combating misinformation on the continent? 

Fighting misinformation is difficult for African media companies, mostly because of limited funding, lax regulations, and low levels of digital literacy. Financial limitations prevent many media outlets from investing in fact-checking equipment, and investigative journalism. Inadequate or antiquated regulations governing digital content can let false information proliferate unchecked, and governments might impose restrictions on press freedom through “fake news” laws rather than addressing the underlying issue. Furthermore, it becomes more difficult to discern fact from fiction due to the quick dissemination of unconfirmed material on social media and AI-driven deepfakes. Since many people lack the critical thinking abilities required to evaluate information sources, the issue is made worse by low public awareness and digital literacy. To improve fact-checking efforts and create long-term plans to successfully combat misinformation, cooperation between media outlets, internet providers, and legislators is crucial.

 

How do you see AI playing a role in shaping Africa’s media and tech space in the coming years? 

AI will revolutionise Africa’s media and technology sector in the near term, bringing opportunities alongside challenges. On the positive side, AI-facilitating tools will enhance the quality of content production, eradicate news verification manually, and improve language translation, making information more readily available in the multilingual terrain of the continent. AI-driven analytics will also help media organisations gain a better insight into audience interaction, allowing them to create more focused content. In sectors like fintech, agriculture, and healthcare, AI will bring about efficiency and innovation, improving service delivery and economic growth. However, there are problems. Deepfakes and AI misinformation compound media trustworthiness, requiring stricter fact-checking initiatives and ethical regulations of AI. Access and financing for AI infrastructure by many African news organisations and technology start-ups is commonly a problem, limiting their international competition. The digital divide also makes sure that urban populations can access AI technology, leaving rural communities behind.

 

Do you think governments and tech companies are doing enough to tackle misinformation, or is there a need for more intervention? 

Well, governments and tech companies are doing their bit to tackle the dissemination of misinformation, but much more remains to be done. While some countries have enacted laws and fact-checking initiatives, enforcement is inconsistent and, in some instances, is employed to silence free speech rather than fake news. Tech companies have also launched AI-powered content moderation and fact-checking partnerships, but their audiences are often limited to urban centres and elite communities with higher digital literacy.  To fight misinformation, however, more funds must be put into public campaigns, stronger policies that increase accuracy without infringing on press freedom, and additional money for independent media. Efforts must also be made to take these solutions to underserved communities so rural communities can experience digital literacy programs and access to correct information too. Without expanding the definition, disinformation will continue to thrive, widening the information gap between the elite and the marginalised.

 

Misinformation spreads rapidly across social media platforms in Africa. What unique factors contribute to this trend? 

First, the urge to share —individuals forward information without verifying facts, driven by emotions, excitement, or the confidence that they are helping others. Second, sometimes a coordinated effort by some parties to sow distrust or advance an agenda, for political, ethnic, or economic reasons, leading to manipulation of public opinion. Third, fear and absence of critical thinking lead people to sensational or scary material, especially in times of crisis like elections, pandemics, or war. Finally, low digital literacy implies that most users cannot distinguish between authentic sources and fabricated information, and hence spread false news unchecked.

 

What challenges do fact-checking organisations face in gaining public trust? 

Starting with the deep-seated issue of long-standing falsehoods that have been institutionalised as norms. When such are challenged, many resist, perceiving fact-checking as a bid to invalidate their perceptions and not as a quest for truth. There is also increasingly a feeling that such organisations are partisan or trying to muzzle some voices, especially when fact-checks contradict political, religious, or cultural views. The pressure to share unsubstantiated information also makes it more complex since people are likely to believe and share information that appeals to them rather than substantiated news. Lack of critical thinking makes the population vulnerable to conspiracy theories whose purpose is to portray fact-checkers as being part of an even larger agenda. Finally, low digital literacy means that the majority of people are unaware of the avenues of spread of misinformation and the avenues of fact-checking, rendering them more suspicious of fact-checked sources. To these barriers, fact-checking websites have to raise transparency, move closer to the public, and invest efforts in advancing digital literacy to build lasting trust.

 

AI models can sometimes produce biased or misleading results. How do you ensure that MyAIFactchecker, your organisation’s AI-driven fact-checking tool, remains reliable and unbiased? 

MyAIFactchecker gives authenticity and prevents bias through an open, transparent process of sourcing. When searching, the software is not reliant on a single source but logs each pertinent source regarding the query, collecting diverse publications from trusted news outlets, and professional databases. According to this compiled information, it undertakes a holistic analysis to establish whether the claim is true, misleading, or false, and without recourse to any prior predisposed bias. MyAIFactchecker uses AI-driven natural language processing (NLP) and sentiment analysis to flag misinformation trends and cross-check statements with validated facts. It also continues to get updated, and that includes nascent false narratives too. To give more credibility, it provides clear citations so the users can analyze sources used for fact-checking.

 

What are some real-world examples where MyAIFactChecker has helped combat misinformation effectively? 

Yes, for example, when the rumour that veteran actor Olu Jacobs had passed away spread online, users found MyAIFactChecker very useful. Instantly, the tool was able to gather credible sources, including statements from Olu Jacobs’ family, and confirm that the news was false. By providing real-time verification, MyAIFactChecker helped curb the spread of misinformation and ensured that users had access to the correct information. This case highlights how the tool quickly analyses multiple sources to separate facts from falsehoods, making it a reliable resource in combating viral misinformation.

 

Can you explain how the Flashcard Gamification tool works and how it helps in media literacy? 

Fact-Check Champs is an interactive flashcard game designed to help children across Africa understand and combat misinformation and disinformation in a fun and engaging way. The game uses gamification techniques to make media literacy accessible and enjoyable for young learners. Each flashcard focuses on key aspects of fact-checking, including:

Fact-checking terms – Teaching children important concepts like misinformation, disinformation, bias, and credibility.

How to spot fake content – Helping kids identify red flags in news articles, social media posts, and online videos.

Fact-checking techniques – Introducing simple methods like reverse image searches, source verification, and cross-referencing information.

Understanding content spread – Explaining how false information spreads quickly and how to stop its circulation.

 

Your organisation also developed a curriculum to teach AI and media literacy in universities. What key topics or skills does the curriculum cover?

Our fact-checking curriculum is tailored to journalism, media, and communication studies in Nigeria’s tertiary learning institutions. The curriculum equips students with the skills to effectively navigate the digital information space responsibly.

Among the major subjects and skills covered are:

Critical Information Literacy – How information is created, spread, and manipulated.

Critical Digital Literacy – Preparing students to assess web sources and identify digital risks.

Critical Data Literacy – Preparing learners with skills to analyze and verify data-based information.

Critical Media Literacy – Analysing messages of media and their impact on public perception.

Moral and Civic Sensibility – Encouraging ethical journalism and proper digital engagement.

In addition, the curriculum includes AI for Media, which explains how artificial intelligence influences news reporting and fact-checking. Students are also instructed on how to use Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools to verify facts, track misinformation, and investigate online claims. Real-life case studies are examined to provide hands-on information on how to counter misinformation and disinformation.

 

How have universities responded to this initiative and are there partnerships in place? 

Yes, We have an existing relationship with Fountain University, the University of Ilorin and Kwara State Polytechnic who have already started incorporating the curriculum into their teachings and a plan is underway for us to come in as an honorary guest lecturer in one of the classes relating to media literacy and emerging technology.  Also, we have a partnership with the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE).

 

What role do you think young people and tech innovators should play in combating misinformation in Africa? 

Young tech innovators in Africa have a crucial role in the fight against misinformation. Our mission shouldn’t stop at developing cutting-edge tools to detect and counter false narratives, we must also foster collaboration by sharing APIs for seamless integration. The real power lies in working together, combining our strengths, and building a united front against misinformation. Innovation thrives on cooperation, and as Africans, we must champion this collective effort to create a more informed and resilient digital space.

 

If you could make one policy recommendation to African governments on misinformation and digital literacy, what would it be?

We must take bold and strategic steps. First, fact-checking and digital literacy should be mandatory courses in all tertiary institutions, equipping students with the skills to discern truth from falsehood. Additionally, a specialised court should be established to fast-track cases against those who deliberately spread fake news, ensuring swift justice. To further deter misinformation, individuals found guilty should be blacklisted from holding public office and barred from consultancy roles through partnerships with private entities. By implementing these measures, we can create a culture of accountability and protect the integrity of information in society.

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