Communication experts, media practitioners and policymakers to examine impact of digital technology on elections and democratic participation….
The growing use of artificial intelligence, social media and other digital technologies in political communication will come under scrutiny as communication scholars and media professionals gather in Abuja for the 2026 Annual Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).
The conference, scheduled to hold at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja, is themed, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication.”
The organisers said the conference would bring together communication scholars, media practitioners, policymakers and other stakeholders to examine the changing nature of electoral communication in Africa, particularly as Nigeria moves towards the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, ACSPN National President, Professor Rotimi Williams Olatunji, said the rapid development of digital technology was fundamentally changing how citizens access political information, interact with political actors and make decisions during elections.
Olatunji said the growing influence of artificial intelligence, social media, digital platforms and data-driven political communication had created both opportunities and new challenges for democratic participation.
“As we approach the 2027 General Elections, Nigeria, and indeed the African continent, is confronted by a rapidly changing communication environment in which technology, artificial intelligence, social media, digital platforms and data-driven political communication are fundamentally transforming how citizens receive information, engage political actors, form opinions and participate in elections,” he said.
He called for closer cooperation between academics and practitioners in the communication industry, saying both groups had important roles to play in addressing the challenges emerging from the changing media landscape.
Describing scholarship and professional practice as “two wings of one bird,” Olatunji said neither could effectively function without the other.
“ACSPN needs the media, and the media needs the intellectual resources of scholarship. One wing is scholarship. The other is professional practice. Neither wing can effectively fly alone,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) urged media practitioners to uphold professionalism and exercise greater responsibility in the use and dissemination of information.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, the spokesman warned that the spread of fake news, misinformation and deepfakes could have serious consequences for social stability and national development.
He said the growing influence of both traditional and social media had made communication increasingly important to government and society, particularly because information shared online can quickly shape public perception.
The Customs spokesman acknowledged the challenge of regulating social media while protecting freedom of expression, but maintained that the right to express opinions should be exercised with a sense of responsibility.
“You can say whatever you have to say, but the guarantee after you have said it, if it’s not going to translate into a kind of social development for the people, it will cause chaos. It will translate into anarchy. No society will accept that,” he said.
He urged journalists and other communication professionals to move beyond the pursuit of clicks, likes and controversy, stressing that public interest should remain a major consideration in news reporting.
According to him, journalists should not only ask whether information is factual before publishing it, but should also consider its relevance and possible impact on society.
The Customs spokesman disclosed that the Nigeria Customs Service had itself been affected by the growing problem of digital impersonation and misinformation.
He said individuals had allegedly created fake press statements and social media accounts in the names of Customs officials as part of attempts to mislead members of the public.
Some of the fraudulent accounts, he added, had reportedly been used to advertise fake Customs auctions and defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.
He said the development underscored the need for greater cooperation among government agencies, media organisations, communication scholars and professional bodies to tackle the spread of false information and the misuse of emerging technologies.
“We must join forces,” he said, stressing that the responsibility for combating fake news and media malpractice could not be left to government or the media alone.
The 2026 conference will also feature the introduction of Fellowship and Special Awards to recognise individuals who have made notable contributions to communication scholarship, professional practice and national development.
The late Professors Lai Oso and Dayo Alao are among those to receive posthumous recognition.
The association will also honour several living pioneers, including Professors Idowu Sobowale, Nosa Owens-Ibie, Umaru Pate, Stella Okunna and Olatunji, alongside Lanre Idowu and Dapo Olorunyomi.
Olatunji said the awards were part of efforts to preserve the history of the communication profession and ensure that the contributions of its pioneers are remembered by younger generations.
He said recognising past and present contributors would also encourage mentorship and strengthen the connection between different generations of communication professionals.
“These awards are more than honours. They are a statement about institutional memory. An organisation that does not honour its pioneers risks losing the history upon which its future is built,” he said.
The ACSPN president expressed optimism that the conference would produce ideas capable of strengthening electoral integrity, responsible journalism and democratic participation as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections.
He said the gathering should go beyond academic discussions and provide an avenue for stakeholders to develop practical responses to the challenges created by the rapidly changing digital environment.
“Let the 2026 ACSPN Conference become more than an annual academic gathering. Let it become a national laboratory for democratic renewal,” he said.
