In a decisive step to bolster Nigeria’s battle against health misinformation, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) have jointly reactivated the National Infodemic Management Technical Team (NIMT).
This move responds to increasing concerns about the harmful effects of misinformation and disinformation on vital public health efforts, including vaccination drives, outbreak responses and the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The reactivation was officially announced during a webinar held on Thursday, where members of NIMT stressed the urgent need for a unified, multisectoral approach to tackle the country’s complex information environment and rebuild public trust in health communication.
WHO infodemic management officer, Dr. Kingsley Igwebuike opened the discussion by emphasising the importance of a whole-of-system strategy to counter the fast spread of false information, especially during health emergencies and non-emergency periods alike.
“We live in a noisy information environment where misinformation and disinformation often spread faster than the truth,” Igwebuike said. “Our responsibility within this technical working group is to ensure effective coordination in the fight against the infodemic.”
Senior health education officer and lead of the infodemic management unit at NCDC, Junaid M. Junaid revealed Nigeria’s comprehensive five-pronged strategy to manage health misinformation. The pillars include identification, simplification, amplification, quantification and coordination.
“The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the deadly impact of misinformation,” Junaid noted. “We are now using real-time social listening and data-driven insight reports to guide targeted health communication and effectively counter false narratives, especially during disease outbreaks.”
He also highlighted the successful integration of infodemic management within vaccination campaigns across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. However, he acknowledged challenges, including funding constraints and limited data analysis capacity, which must be addressed for sustained progress.
Adding a critical dimension to the discussion, public health journalist and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) media ambassador, Racheal Abujah underscored the need to apply infodemic management to AMR—a growing and often overlooked public health threat.
“As Nigeria prepares to host the AMR Conference in 2026, it is essential that the infodemic management team prioritise AMR as a key communication challenge,” she stated. “AMR is not just a medical issue; it is a growing infodemic fueled by misinformation, inappropriate antibiotic use and poor community awareness.”
Abujah called for intensified strategic efforts to counter AMR-related misinformation, promote responsible antimicrobial use and position Nigeria as a leader in global health communication ahead of the upcoming conference.
The head of risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) & infodemic management at NCDC, Hannatu Bello concluded the webinar by stressing the importance of collaboration across sectors.
“Combating misinformation requires a united front involving health professionals, media, community actors and digital platforms,” Bello said. “Strengthening trust and improving access to accurate health information must remain central to all our communication strategies.”
With renewed focus and collective commitment, Nigeria aims to safeguard public health by managing misinformation and reinforcing accurate, trustworthy health communication nationwide.
