UN Warns Misinformation Now Major Threat to Humanity

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The urgent need to rebuild trust in the global information space took centre stage in Nigeria’s capital as world leaders and policymakers gathered for the launch of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), with top United Nations officials warning that misinformation now ranks among the most serious threats facing humanity.

Speaking at the landmark event held at the Presidential Villa, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Melissa Fleming, delivered a stark message: ‘The world is grappling with a dangerously fractured information ecosystem that must be urgently reformed to safeguard peace, human rights, and sustainable development’.

“Our world urgently needs an information ecosystem it can trust—one that promotes peace, sustainable development, and human rights,” she declared, setting the tone for what many described as a defining moment in the global fight against disinformation.

The institute, established under the auspices of UNESCO, is the first of its kind globally and positions Nigeria at the forefront of international efforts to combat the spread of false information and strengthen media literacy.

Fleming pointed to findings from the UN’s first-ever Global Risk Report released in 2025, which identified misinformation and disinformation as one of the most underestimated yet rapidly escalating global threats.

She noted that the crisis has already begun to erode public trust, destabilise societies, and weaken democratic institutions.

To confront this challenge, she highlighted the UN’s Global Principles for Information Integrity launched in 2024, built on five pillars: societal trust and resilience, healthy information incentives, public empowerment through digital literacy, independent and pluralistic media, and transparency backed by research. At the heart of these principles, she emphasised, lies a firm commitment to human rights and the protection of individual freedoms in the digital age.

According to Fleming, the vision is to create an information ecosystem where people can freely express themselves, make informed decisions, and maintain control over their data and online experiences without fear of manipulation or harm.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, described the establishment of IMILI as a historic milestone not only for Nigeria but for Africa and the global community.

He noted that the institute comes at a critical time when the proliferation of false and harmful content continues to challenge governance, social cohesion, and democratic stability worldwide. Emphasising the strategic importance of media literacy, Tinubu called on Nigerians—especially young people—to embrace critical thinking and responsible information use as essential tools for national development and global engagement.

The President also reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to supporting the institute through funding, institutional partnerships with the National Open University of Nigeria, and continued collaboration with UNESCO to ensure its effective operation.

Adding a global perspective, UNESCO’s Assistant Director General for Communication and Information, Mariya Gabriel, stressed that media and information literacy has evolved beyond a technical competence into a vital civic and survival skill for modern democracies.

Despite growing recognition, she revealed a significant global gap. While 171 countries acknowledge the importance of media literacy, only 17 have fully integrated it into national strategies. In Africa, just nine out of 54 countries have embedded such frameworks into their education systems.

She further cited alarming data from a UNESCO global survey indicating that 62 per cent of digital content is shared without verification—an issue she described as a pressing call to action. Gabriel also drew attention to persistent inequalities in digital access, noting that women and girls continue to face disproportionate levels of online harassment and exclusion.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described IMILI as a bold reflection of the country’s leadership in promoting informed citizenship and protecting the integrity of information systems.

He said the institute would serve as a global hub for research, training, and policy engagement, bringing together educators, journalists, policymakers, and young people from across the world to advance responsible communication practices.

Idris assured stakeholders of the government’s commitment to safeguarding the institute’s independence, sustainability, and alignment with international best practices.

The high-profile event drew senior government officials, international organisations, and key actors in the media and education sectors, underscoring the growing global consensus that the battle against misinformation is not just technological—but deeply human, requiring education, collaboration, and sustained political will.

With the launch of IMILI, Nigeria has positioned itself at the heart of a global movement to redefine how information is created, shared, and trusted—at a time when the truth itself is increasingly under threat.