In a bid to combat the growing threat of misinformation among young people, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has launched a national campaign for media and information literacy targeting secondary schools.
Speaking at the #TEDxNTICAbujaYouth 2025 event held at Nigerian Tulip International College, Abuja, on Saturday, the Minister emphasized the urgency of educating young Nigerians on responsible digital citizenship.
“Because I’m in the communication business, I became very passionate about how people dish out stories, how people can instantly engage and communicate with each other around the world,” Idris said. “Then before you know it, the digital space opened up. You have Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, X and others. But again, that’s another challenge.”
The Minister warned that while social media has revolutionized access to information, it has also introduced serious risks to the information ecosystem, particularly the rise of fake news, disinformation, and misinformation.
“The birth of the digital world also brought about the birth of the era of fake news, disinformation, and misinformation,” he noted.
Reflecting on the event’s theme, “Passion”, Idris shared his personal journey from an aspiring broadcaster to becoming Nigeria’s chief government spokesperson.
“As a young man, I nurtured a burning passion for broadcasting. Fresh out of secondary school, I was so committed to this dream that I persuaded my father to help me get a job at a broadcasting organization,” he recounted.
His dream, however, was briefly interrupted when a relative insisted that he first obtain a university degree.
“That advice, though initially disheartening, led me down a different path,” he said. “Today, I am Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation. I am not just a broadcaster; I am the chief spokesman of the government of Nigeria. So you can see how that dream that appeared to have been aborted many years ago, came back to pay off.”
Prior to his appointment, Idris revealed he owned a radio and television station as well as a newspaper outfit, experiences which, he said, shaped his understanding of the media landscape.
Idris urged Nigerian youths to hold fast to their dreams and passions, stressing that success often follows a non-linear path.
“Passion, guided by purpose and perseverance, has the power to transform dreams into reality,” he advised.
It is this same passion, he added, that now fuels his determination to confront the scourge of misinformation and build a more informed and critically-minded generation.
As part of these efforts, the Minister announced the upcoming launch of the UNESCO Category 2 Media and Information Literacy Institute in Nigeria. The institute, set to begin operations in November 2025, will serve as a platform for Nigerians and international participants to gain essential media literacy skills.
The institute aims to empower participants to effectively navigate the digital information landscape and become less susceptible to fake news and misinformation circulating on social media,” he said.