Stakeholders have called for responsible use of social media and digital platforms as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections.
They warned that misinformation, hate speech and manipulated digital content could deepen political tensions, threaten social cohesion and undermine peaceful democratic participation.
The concerns were raised in Abuja during the unveiling of the National Digital Peace Ambassadors, an initiative of the Nigerian Institute of Social Media Analysts.
The initiative is focused on promoting fact-checking, responsible online communication, peaceful engagement and national unity.
Speaking at the event, stakeholders stressed that the objective is not to silence Nigerians or restrict legitimate political debate.
They acknowledged that freedom of expression, criticism of government and disagreement are fundamental elements of a democratic society.
However, they warned that the growing ability to rapidly create and distribute false or manipulated information means that citizens must exercise greater responsibility before sharing content online.
One of the speakers said Nigeria is facing a growing digital peace challenge and emphasised that the problem is not that citizens have different opinions, but what happens when those opinions are expressed irresponsibly.
The organisers said digital platforms should be used to promote constructive dialogue rather than provoke violence, hatred or division.
The Digital Peace Ambassadors are expected to support efforts around media literacy, fact-checking and peaceful online engagement as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.
Stakeholders say young Nigerians in particular have an important role to play because they constitute a significant portion of Nigeria's online population and can either amplify harmful content or help counter it.
They called for sustained collaboration among civil society organisations, media professionals, technology platforms, political actors and citizens to protect Nigeria's social cohesion.
The message from the initiative is that disagreement should remain part of democracy but disagreement must not become a justification for hatred, violence or the deliberate spread of false information.
As the 2027 election cycle approaches, stakeholders say responsible digital citizenship will be critical to maintaining peace and strengthening Nigeria's democracy.
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