The Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition (NFC) has launched situation rooms ahead of the Anambra State governorship election slated for Saturday, November 8, 2025.
This was made known in a statement by the coalition on Friday, November 7 2025.
According to the NFC, the situation rooms, located in Abuja and Lagos, will coordinate efforts to monitor, verify, and counter misinformation and disinformation that could trigger unrest, discourage voter participation, erode public trust, or influence the outcome of the election.
Operations will begin in Lagos and Abuja on Friday, November 7, continuing through Sunday, November 9, 2025.
Bamas Victoria, Acting Coordinator of the Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition (NFC) and Editor at The ICIR, emphasised the coalition’s vital role in combating misinformation in an era where false information can easily be weaponised. She commended the coalition’s efforts to promote media literacy and ensure a safer, more credible information space.
Commenting on the media literacy reports released by the NFC as part of its pre-election activities for the Anambra poll, she noted that the feedback so far underscores the importance of the coalition’s work.
“These reports, which were amplified by multiple media houses, had a real impact. Someone who read one of the articles on electoral offences told me they were not even aware of some of the issues highlighted in the report before reading it.
The NFC’s work helps enlighten citizens about the electoral process, thereby promoting civic participation. And for us to achieve good governance, we need an informed and active citizenry,” she said.
Bamas expressed confidence in the work that the NFC will do and its impact on this election.
David Ajikobi, Africa Check’s Nigerian editor, noted that the emergence of a new INEC leadership makes the upcoming election and the NFC’s role in it particularly significant.
“With the new leadership at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other factors, we consider the Anambra state election significant. As a result, we as fact-checkers are paying close attention.
We are monitoring the media space, both online and offline, fact-checking and verifying the claims, and publishing reports to ensure the integrity of information surrounding the election,” Ajikobi highlighted.
Kemi Busari, DUBAWA Editor said the coalition aims to curb the spread and impact of election-related false information. He noted that misinformation has increasingly influenced recent elections and added that the NFC plans to counter such claims through coordinated fact-checking efforts during the Anambra poll.
“We’ve seen in recent years how election-related misinformation and disinformation significantly impact the process and outcome. We are trying to mitigate this by consolidating our resources to fact-check fraudulent claims during elections. We hope to do another solid job with the Anambra election,” he concluded.
Formed in June 2022, the coalition comprises three signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN)—Africa Check, The FactCheckHub, and DUBAWA—alongside other partners including the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (The ICIR), the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), FactsMatterNG, Digital Africa Research Lab, Round Check, WikkiTimes, and FactWatch.
The NFC debunked dozens of false information about Nigeria’s 2023 general elections and off-cycle state elections in Ondo and Edo, leveraging effective collaboration among researchers, fact-checkers, editors, data analysts, and social media specialists.
The coalition’s model has been adopted in other countries like Ghana and South Africa.
While the NFC monitors the electoral process, members of the public can send claims on WhatsApp: +2349030785265.
