At Ramadan Lecture, Information Minister Says Fake News is a Major Threat to Nigeria’s Stability
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, yesterday warned that fake news and digital disinformation posed a grave threat to Nigeria’s moral foundation and long-term stability, urging citizens, especially the youth, to embrace verification and responsibility in the digital space.
Idris spoke in Kaduna at the 20th Joint Ramadan Lecture organised by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), and the Voice of Nigeria, describing the digital age as a defining moment for Nigeria’s unity and moral direction.
The lecture, held at Lumana Hall, Zamani College, Kaduna, had as its theme: ‘Digital Technology and the Moral Future: Navigating the Fitna of Our Time with Faith and Purpose.’
According to the minister, while digital technology had unlocked unprecedented opportunities for learning, enterprise, and innovation, it had also “unleashed forces that threaten our moral fabric,” with misinformation spreading faster than truth.
“We live in an age where a single smartphone can broadcast lies before truth can respond,” Idris said, warning that algorithms often amplify divisive content because “anger spreads faster than reflection.”
He noted that disinformation had evolved into a subtle tool of political warfare capable of eroding public trust in institutions, deepening suspicion among citizens, and undermining national cohesion.
Citing Surah Al-Hujurat (49:6), he urged Nigerians to adopt a culture of verification, stressing that Islam provided a timeless framework for navigating information disorder through investigation, accountability, and unity.
He outlined what he described as key ethical safeguards: the obligation to verify information, the discipline of intention before sharing content, the consciousness of accountability before God, humility in admitting limited knowledge, and prioritizing societal harmony over sensationalism.
Addressing the youth directly, Idris said Nigeria’s predominantly young population must deploy digital tools as instruments of nation-building rather than weapons of division, stressing that “a nation that fails its youth has no future.”
He maintained that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was investing in digital empowerment initiatives, including the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, to ensure that technology becomes a ladder of opportunity rather than a trigger for social breakdown.
The minister also referenced UNESCO’s designation of Nigeria as host of Africa’s first Media and Information Literacy Institute, describing media literacy as “the vaccine against misinformation” in an increasingly volatile digital ecosystem.
In separate lectures, former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Kashere, Prof. Umar Pate, and Islamic scholar, Sheikh Tukur Adam Al-Manar, acknowledged the transformative power of information technology in national development but cautioned against its abuse.
They warned that the unregulated use of social media, particularly among young Nigerians, had contributed to moral decline, cyberbullying, and the rapid spread of falsehood, calling for decisive steps to restore discipline in the digital space.
Sheikh Al-Manar specifically urged the federal government to regulate social media platforms to curb what he described as rising immorality and irresponsible content. At the same time, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State echoed the call, saying regulation would promote responsible usage and proper moral upbringing.
