In Kano, Fact Check Africa launched a new digital campaign aimed at promoting responsible online engagement ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. The bootcamp brought together social media influencers, content creators, and digital storytellers in Kano State.
The training concluded with participants unveiling concepts for the #CheckBeforeYouPost campaign, an initiative that encourages Nigerians to verify information before sharing it online and to use their digital influence to strengthen democratic participation.
One of the featured sessions was facilitated by Sodiq Ajala, Co-founder of Tech with Africa, who led participants through a practical workshop on Developing Electoral Integrity Content Concepts.
Speaking during the session, Ajala challenged participants to think beyond creating content that merely attracts attention. He noted that while many people online focus on “what’s happening,” fewer take time to understand “what’s going on,” making thoughtful and accurate storytelling essential during election periods.
Rather than delivering a traditional lecture, the session was designed as an interactive workshop where participants transformed ideas into campaign concepts capable of influencing public behaviour.
The workshop covered audience research, behavioural change, message development, storyboarding, and visual campaign design. Participants also explored how artificial intelligence could support responsible content creation by helping creators brainstorm ideas, refine messaging, generate storyboards, and accelerate the creative process without compromising ethics or accuracy.
Working in teams, participants developed campaign concepts for #CheckBeforeYouPost, produced draft social media assets, and presented their work for peer review. Discussions focused on tackling misinformation, strengthening audience engagement, and promoting responsible communication during election periods.
Ajala emphasised that one of the biggest challenges facing fact-based communication is that people often share content because it captures attention or evokes emotion, rather than because it is accurate. He encouraged participants to create verified content that is equally engaging while maintaining editorial integrity and factual accuracy.
Organisers said the training camp marks the beginning of a broader movement rather than the end of a workshop. In the coming weeks, participants will implement the campaigns they developed, collaborate across digital communities, and contribute to a growing network of creators working to strengthen information integrity ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Kano Training Camp was organised by FIAP, in collaboration with FactCheckAfrica, under the European Union Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project. The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to improve information integrity and build democratic resilience across Nigeria.
With participants now preparing to launch their campaigns, organisers expressed confidence that the #CheckBeforeYouPost movement will help encourage a culture of verification, responsible storytelling, and informed civic participation in the months leading to the 2027 general elections.
