The European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Programme (EU-SDGN) has launched a toolkit aimed at equipping community radio professionals with the skills needed for fair, accurate, and inclusive electoral reporting.
Titled “Doing Civic and Voter Education: A Toolkit for Community Radio Professionals in Nigeria,” the resource is designed to enhance the capacity of community radio stations in engaging marginalized groups, including women, youths, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and Persons with Disabilities.
A statement by the EU on Monday emphasized that the EU-SDGN Programme promotes inclusive voter education, provides strategies to combat misinformation and hate speech, and ensures that all Nigerians, particularly underrepresented groups, have a voice in the democratic process.
The initiative also supports media literacy efforts and equips journalists with fact-checking tools to help Nigerians distinguish credible information from misleading content, thereby strengthening democratic engagement.
Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society, Akin Akingbulu, highlighted the significance of the toolkit in boosting the growing community radio sector.
“Community radio has expanded significantly and is now recognized as a key player in Nigeria’s media landscape,” Akingbulu said. “A major strength of this toolkit is its focus on addressing misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech—factors that can severely undermine the electoral process.”
The toolkit provides practical guidance on fact-checking, promoting digital literacy, and fostering community dialogue to counter harmful narratives.
Akingbulu further noted that the initiative reinforces the crucial role of the media in shaping an informed electorate. “By equipping journalists to produce accurate and unbiased content, this toolkit contributes to a more inclusive society where citizens actively participate in democracy,” he said.
As Nigeria prepares for its next elections, the toolkit is expected to have a lasting impact by fostering informed, responsible, and inclusive civic participation. It forms part of broader efforts to ensure no citizen is left uninformed or excluded from the electoral process, reaffirming the media’s essential role in shaping Nigeria’s democratic future.
