Abuja: A Nigerian technology expert, Gunu Usman, has launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI) application (app) called ‘BAT-BOT AI’ to assist the Federal Government in combating fake news and misinformation. Speaking at the launch, Usman said the app is also designed to fight fake news that may surround President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Usman, the founder of LYT24 Technologies, stated this on Wednesday at the launch of the app in Abuja. He explained that its objective was to ensure that facts travel faster than falsehood. The platform is presently functional on several channels, including WhatsApp AI Chat Interface: 07055555329; X (Twitter): @Bat_botAi; Telegram AI Bot: @BolaAhmedTinubuBatBot, and Web Chat Interface: BatBot.ng.
The rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation, deepfakes, hate speech, and manipulated narratives targeting the administration, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and national institutions presents significant risks to democratic stability and public trust. Usman stated that his team designed the BAT-BOT AI (Bola Ahmed Tinubu AI-Bot) to support public access to verified information and counter the spread of fake news and misinformation. He described the app as a sovereign AI-powered civic information and fact-verification platform.
In an era where elections are increasingly won or lost in the digital arena, Nigeria is witnessing the emergence of a new kind of political infrastructure, one powered not by billboards or campaign caravans, but by artificial intelligence (AI). As the nation moves toward the 2027 general elections, the true battleground has shifted to the smartphones of over 100 million Nigerians, where narratives spread in seconds and public perception can shape political outcomes.
In response to this evolving landscape, the app was created to strengthen Nigeria’s digital information ecosystem ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle. Developed through a strategic innovation effort, BAT-BOT AI is dedicated to President Bola Tinubu and aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda. Its mission is to promote transparency, safeguard verified information, and strengthen democratic engagement in the digital age.
Usman also noted that BAT-BOT AI is currently accessible to Nigerians through multiple digital platforms. The app allows citizens to interact with the system to verify claims, ask questions about government policies, and obtain accurate information about national development initiatives. Through these platforms, users can interact with BAT-BOT AI to verify text, images, videos, and voice notes. They can also access information on government policies and projects and receive real-time responses to civic and governance-related questions in a simplified and accessible format.
To bridge literacy and language gaps, BAT-BOT AI explains public policies, governance issues, and democratic processes in English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Nigerian Pidgin. The BAT-BOT AI development team also highlighted that Nigeria currently faces a coordinated digital siege characterized by widespread fake news eroding confidence in electoral processes, economic reforms, and national security efforts. BAT-BOT AI was built specifically to address these challenges.
BAT-BOT AI functions as a 24/7 digital civic infrastructure and is designed as a proactive system for verified information and civic engagement, not a tool for partisan attack. It is a technology-driven platform that helps citizens access facts, understand governance, and participate more responsibly in democratic life. It can detect reused old media, identify manipulated visuals, flag misleading or AI-generated deepfakes, and provide evidence-based clarifications.