Key Points

• Government urges Nigerians to reject false narratives about Nigeria.

• Campaign aims to rebuild trust and enhance Nigeria’s global image.

• Citizens and media urged to promote accurate, balanced storytelling.

The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation (FMINO) has asked Nigerians to stop spreading lies about their country and work to improve its image both at home and abroad.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the request during a meeting with a group from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Idris said that criticism is a normal part of a healthy democracy, but unverified reports and sensational claims can hurt national unity and make investors less confident. He said that when Nigerians spread false stories about Nigeria, the way the rest of the world sees it gets worse.

He said, “Misinformation can split countries, and we can’t let that happen to ours.”

Changing the story about Nigeria

The minister said that foreign interests often take advantage of divisions in the country by spreading stories that make it seem unstable and chaotic. Idris used a recent attempt by a U.S. senator to call Nigeria a “country of particular concern” because of religious freedom as an example of the risk. He asked the media, social media stars, and Nigerian communities living abroad to tell stories that are fair and show Nigeria’s progress and potential.

According to a report by Vanguard news, Professor Olufemi Peters, the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, welcomed the partnership. He said that the university will host the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), which will be recognised by UNESCO in November 2025. He said that the federal government had given the project a ₦250 million grant.

Peters called IMILI a strategic investment in improving people’s ability to understand information and fighting the spread of false stories about Nigeria. He also said that it would give students and citizens the tools they need to spot and fight misinformation.

Restoring faith in Nigeria’s reputation around the world

The Tinubu administration is working harder to rebuild investor confidence and strengthen foreign partnerships, which is why they want to fix false information. Analysts say that Nigeria loses billions of naira in investments and trade opportunities every year because people around the world have a bad view of the country.

The government wants to change how Nigeria is seen around the world, especially when it comes to issues of economy, security, and governance. It does this by promoting information literacy and national reorientation. Idris stressed that the goal of the initiative was not to silence dissent but to get Nigerians to tell a more balanced and truthful story about their country.

“We can disagree about politics or society,” he said, “but we can’t let anyone change the story of our country.” He also said that journalists and schools would be very important in the rollout of public education campaigns to promote responsible communication.

People and the media need to do something

Idris asked Nigerians, both at home and abroad, to be ambassadors of truth in his closing remarks. He said, “If we don’t set the record straight about Nigeria, other people will unfairly define us.”

People think that the campaign is part of a bigger effort to change how people see Nigeria, from a place of crisis to a place of opportunity. Citizens, the media, and government institutions will need to keep talking to each other in a responsible and consistent way for it to work.