A consortium of Nigerian academics has launched a research project to develop an Artificial Intelligence-driven platform, *“Naija Falsehoods Buster,”* alongside a national hub dedicated to tracking and evaluating misinformation across the country’s digital and broadcast media.
The initiative also seeks to build a comprehensive database of influential on-air personalities and social media influencers, enabling researchers to detect, monitor, and curb the spread of falsehoods that undermine national cohesion.
The research team is led by Dr. Toyin Onayinka of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), and includes Dr. Jacob Opele and Dr. Lawrence Adewole (FUOYE), Dr. Chioma Agbasimelo (Nnamdi Azikiwe University), Dr. Blessing Dakat (University of Jos), and Mrs. Grace Onipede.
The project, titled *“Modelling AI to Identify Falsehoods: Impact of On-Air Personalities and Social Media Influencers on National Integration,”* is funded under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund’s 2024 National Research Fund and will run for 24 months, with FUOYE as the host institution.
According to Dr. Onayinka, the team will design an AI-driven system capable of flagging, classifying, and visualising misinformation in real time, while producing dashboards and analytical reports for policymakers, regulators, and media organisations.
The project integrates natural language processing, machine learning, and field research to examine the role of broadcasters and online influencers in spreading or countering misinformation. It will also produce Nigeria’s first large annotated dataset on falsehoods and deploy an accessible Software-as-a-Service tool for fact-checking and media literacy.
Onayinka stressed that the initiative comes at a critical moment. *“Falsehoods and manipulated narratives can accelerate societal polarisation and erode public trust. This hub will provide real-time, locally trained AI tools and evidence-based guidance to strengthen media literacy, support fact-checking, and inform regulatory interventions that protect national cohesion,”* he said.
Onayinka, Head of the Department of Broadcasting at FUOYE’s Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, said the hub would serve as a vital national resource for government agencies, the media, and civil society.
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