Lanre Olagunju, a Fact-checking expert has called on Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health to educate the public ahead of the upcoming malaria vaccination rollout to prevent disinformation from undermining the programme.

Speaking on Channels Television as part of United Nations Media and Information Literacy Week, Olagunju warned that unchecked misinformation could damage public trust and hinder progress in the health sector, referencing the 2003 polio vaccine boycott in parts of northern Nigeria that led to a spike in polio cases after false claims spread about the vaccine’s safety.

Olagunju stressed that the malaria vaccination programme must learn from past incidents, where misinformation led to vaccine hesitancy and worsened public health challenges. He urged the health ministry to invest in public awareness and work with media researchers to pre-empt false claims and ensure people understand the safety and benefits of the vaccine.

He also highlighted the increasing role of social media in spreading misinformation, referring to it as a “dustbin of fake news,” and advised the government to take steps to build public confidence by engaging communities and addressing common misconceptions about vaccines proactively.