Usoro warns faux information threatens 2027 polls, receives FG Governance Award

The Federal Government has honoured the Executive Chairman of Miden Systems Limited, Dr. Brendan Innocent Usoro, with the Excellence in Corporate Governance and Business Integrity Award for moral management and transparency.

Usoro obtained the award on Wednesday on the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) National Summit on Curbing Fake News and Misinformation within the Nigerian Media Space in Abuja.

The occasion was organised below the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.

Speaking on the occasion, he warned that misinformation had turn out to be a menace to nationwide safety, democratic stability and enterprise confidence as Nigeria approaches the 2027 basic elections.

He expressed concern over the rising use of synthetic intelligence to manufacture audio recordings and manipulate movies, saying it was making it more durable for the general public to inform credible info from deliberate falsehood.

“People use false information to de-market their political opponents, competitors’ products and services, as well as create tension in the polity,” he mentioned.

Usoro alleged that his firm and its executives had been focused by false info following a monetary dispute with a business financial institution. The financial institution was not named.

He urged Nigerians to confirm content material earlier than sharing it, advisable fact-checking organisations resembling Dubawa, and known as for higher coaching for journalists and wider entry to AI-assisted verification instruments.

He additionally requested NITDA and the NCC to work with expertise firms in opposition to malicious artificial media, whereas stressing that the battle in opposition to misinformation should not undermine press freedom or respectable criticism.

On his firm, he mentioned Miden Systems, established in 1997, had grown from security and gear upkeep into marine providers, logistics, and offshore and onshore facility upgrades and administration. He listed purchasers together with the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, ExxonMobil, Nigeria LNG Limited, Addax Petroleum and Nigerian Agip Oil Company.

“We remain committed to ethical, honest and transparent business transactions at all levels of our operations,” he mentioned.

NPC Executive Secretary, Dr. Dili Ezughah, mentioned the summit was designed to strengthen the media ecosystem and enhance journalists’ capability to fight misinformation, warning that faux information might undermine democratic processes if unchecked.

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, represented by Musa Likita, and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, represented by Dr. Haruna Suleiman, additionally described misinformation as a menace to nationwide safety and known as for collaboration amongst authorities, the media, expertise companies and residents.

Other awardees included Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule; Senator Emmanuel Bwacha; and Dr. Yakubu Barde, Federal Commissioner for Salaries, Income and Wages.