The Minister of Information and National Guidance, Mohammed Idris, has charged content creators and social media influencers to prioritize the interests of the nation by upholding the highest ethical standards in the expression and delivery of their craft.

He also called on content providers to tone down negative rhetoric about Nigeria.

He made the remarks on Friday in Abuja during the National Global Media and Information Education Week 2024 with the theme: organized by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Guidance in collaboration with the International Institute of Media and Information Education, Open University of Nigeria.

He reiterated that Nigeria cannot grow if influencers always emphasize the negative aspects.

“It’s important to criticize and hold the government and other leaders to account, because that’s the role of the media and we can’t do away with it. But it is also essential that in reporting, we prioritize the national interest.

“I repeat, we cannot expect to grow and have people come and invest in our country when everything we do all the time is negative. There is a lot of positive information coming out of Nigeria and it is our duty to be patriotic when we report so that Nigeria can reach the desired destination of prosperity that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is talking about,” he said.

The minister condemned the proliferation of fake news on social media, warning that if not curtailed, it posed an existential threat to the unity, peace and development of the country.

“As we embrace the digital revolution, we must recognize its transformative impact on how information is created, shared and consumed. The rise of social media, generative artificial intelligence (AI), online platforms and the new generation of digital content creators has democratized the flow of information

Olawale Ajimotokan

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