Abuja: The National Secretary, National Digital Peace Ambassadors (NDPA), Ms. Erikan Obong, has unveiled a new civic initiative aimed at promoting responsible online engagement. Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, Obong explained that the initiative, referred to as NDPA, seeks to counter misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, and other threatening digital content.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event is themed ‘Digital Peace and National Security: Building Responsible Voices for a United Nigeria.’ Obong emphasized that the initiative arises from the growing influence of digital platforms on public opinion, social relations, and political discourse. She highlighted the shift in the battle for national peace from physical communities to online spaces, where unverified messages and manipulated content can rapidly spread, causing fear and mistrust.
Obong warned of the challenges posed by advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) that complicate the protection of information integrity. She noted that the digital space has the potential to escalate local disputes into national crises through false allegations and manipulated content, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDPA initiative focuses on fostering peace-oriented online engagement, fact-checking, and countering harmful narratives non-violently. It aims to promote national unity and digital peace education by seeking partnerships with government agencies, media, civil society, schools, tech companies, and traditional and religious leaders.
Obong urged Nigerians, especially influencers and content creators, to adopt a method of verifying information before sharing it online. She stressed the importance of responsible freedom, urging individuals not to compromise Nigeria’s peace for online views and engagement.
The national secretary also called on the government to enhance timely public communication and ensure information integrity during election periods. She advocated for fact-checking and contextual analysis over speed in addressing digital content challenges.