In a bid to promote healthy communication, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has emphasized that the government has no intention of stifling freedom of expression in Nigeria.
This pronouncement was made during a courtesy visit to the Minister’s office on October 12, 2023, by a delegation from Google West Africa.
While acknowledging the importance of providing a platform for individuals to freely express themselves, Idris also highlighted the need for responsible expression, cautioning against the exploitation of this freedom to incite anarchy.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the federal government to uphold freedom of expression and ensure accessibility to information, emphasizing that those responsible for disseminating information and creating platforms must be mindful of their role in protecting citizens.
“We will collaborate with Google to promote the free flow of information because democracy and freedom of expression are interdependent,” Idris stated.
Appreciating the efforts of Google, Idris expressed enthusiasm for continued engagement with the tech giant and other relevant stakeholders to address the issue of fake news.
During the visit, Mr. Olumide Balogun, leader of the Google West Africa delegation, disclosed that Google had provided training to over 3,500 journalists worldwide in the past three years. These training initiatives equip journalists with tools to verify news, including digital solutions for managing misinformation.
Furthermore, Balogun highlighted Google’s commitment to supporting news organizations globally through projects like the “Google Innovation Challenge.” This initiative aims to foster innovation in news organizations, with funding provided for projects such as “full fact,” an AI technology designed to facilitate fact-checking.
The Google team also pledged their support to the Ministry of Information by offering training in online skills to its staff members.
