The National Information Officer of the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Nigeria, Oluseyi Soremekun, has called for swift, collaborative efforts to scale up Media and Information Literacy (MIL) across the nation. Speaking during a webinar organized by the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI) and other partners to mark Media and Information Literacy Week, Soremekun highlighted MIL as a key tool to curb the spread of disinformation and hate speech in the digital space.

In his presentation, titled “New Frontiers: How Media and Information Literacy is Transforming Lives,” Soremekun argued that MIL equips individuals with the skills to critically assess online content, thereby reducing the virality of falsehoods and promoting ethical digital behavior. Drawing from the UN’s “Verified” and “Pause” campaigns, he emphasized the need for public empowerment through media literacy to ensure ethical navigation of the digital ecosystem and protection of individual rights, such as privacy, cultural expression, and non-discrimination.

Soremekun also noted that MIL is crucial in addressing challenges of the 21st century, including declining trust in media, the rise of disinformation, and the ethical complexities introduced by digital innovations such as Artificial Intelligence. He disclosed that UNIC is actively engaging stakeholders on the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, which promote societal trust, transparency, independent media, and public empowerment through media literacy.

Other speakers at the webinar included Enodi Audu, a senior software engineer, and Ruhamah Ifere, founder of Trully Verify Africa, who echoed the importance of fostering a robust information ecosystem. Together, they underscored the need for urgent action to address disinformation and ensure ethical use of technology in shaping an informed society.