Poland envoy urges media to lead fight against disinformation

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Nigeria, Mr Michal Cygan, has described the mass media as a critical force in combating disinformation across societies.

Cygan spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at a journalists’ meeting on disinformation organised by the Polish Embassy in partnership with the Female Journalists’ Network of Nigeria.

The event, themed “Bridging Perception Gaps: Combating Misinformation, Disinformation, and Fake News for Stronger Nigeria-Poland Relations,” brought together media professionals and policy stakeholders.

The envoy said misinformation and disinformation were global threats that cut across languages, cultures and borders.

According to him, false narratives do not operate in isolation but spread rapidly in multiple languages, causing social and political harm.

Cygan noted that the media was uniquely positioned to counter the trend because of its reach and ability to engage large audiences through diverse platforms.

He stressed the importance of regular trainings and professional engagements for journalists, saying such forums would strengthen the capacity of the media to tackle disinformation in both Nigerian and Polish societies.

The ambassador added that the agenda-setting power of the media, combined with its influence, remained a potent tool in addressing misinformation.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Ndace, said misinformation had become a major global challenge, threatening national cohesion, diplomacy and public trust.

Ndace said for democratic countries such as Nigeria and Poland, truth and accuracy were fundamental to sustaining transparency and mutual cooperation.

“At VoN, our mandate is to present the authentic Nigerian narrative to the world, strengthen national identity, and promote understanding between Nigeria and the global community,” he said.

He noted that the responsibility had become more urgent as false narratives continued to spread faster than verified information.

Ndace said the organisation prioritised fact-based reporting, digital literacy and partnerships that promoted responsible journalism.

He also commended the role of female broadcasters at VoN, describing women as central to the organisation’s leadership and editorial strength.

“They lead key departments, serve as directors, and drive major editorial and administrative decisions with professionalism, courage and creativity,” he said.

The VoN boss disclosed that the station currently broadcasts in English, French, Arabic, Kiswahili, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Fulfulde.

He added that plans were underway to commence broadcasts in Mandarin and Portuguese after completing necessary processes.

According to him, the multilingual approach allows VoN to engage diverse audiences across Africa and beyond while promoting cultural understanding and strengthening Nigeria’s global voice.

The Executive Director of Development Specs Academy, Prof Okey Ikechukwu, said the digital revolution had fundamentally altered the global information landscape.

Ikechukwu said governments now communicated not only through formal diplomatic channels but also through fast-moving media ecosystems, resulting in information overload.

He warned that the speed of information flow had made misinformation a growing concern, with truth increasingly competing with manipulated content and viral half-truths.

He said media diplomacy, once dependent on carefully controlled messaging, was now shaped by social media platforms and citizen journalism.

According to him, governments’ use of platforms such as Twitter and TikTok for official communication had expanded diplomatic engagement but also amplified the spread of misinformation.

Ikechukwu argued that the solution lay in treating truth as a form of soft power.

He said deploying truth as soft power would enhance credibility, safeguard international relations and promote accountability and public trust in an era dominated by disinformation.