The Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) has called for stronger collaboration between communication scholars and the media to combat misinformation, disinformation and other emerging threats associated with digital technology ahead of the 2027 general elections.
National President of ACSPN, Professor Rotimi Williams Olatunji, made the call on Monday in Abuja at a press conference to herald the association’s 2026 Annual Conference scheduled to hold at the National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja.
The conference is themed, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication.”
Olatunji said the theme was particularly relevant as technology, artificial intelligence, social media, digital platforms and data-driven political communication continue to transform how citizens access information, engage political actors and participate in elections.
He stressed that the media must develop the capacity to interrogate data, understand artificial intelligence and digital manipulation, as well as identify misinformation and disinformation.
According to him, communication scholars must also ensure that research findings are translated from academic journals into accessible resources for journalists, policymakers and citizens.
“We need journalists who can interrogate data. We need editors who understand artificial intelligence and digital manipulation. We need media organisations capable of identifying misinformation and disinformation,” he said.
The ACSPN president urged media organisations to partner with the association to take discussions from the conference to Nigerians across the country and promote fact-based public discourse ahead of the elections.
He said the media should help citizens understand the implications of artificial intelligence, algorithms, data analytics, social media and digital platforms on the electoral process, while holding all stakeholders accountable.
Olatunji described ACSPN and the media as “two wings of one bird,” stressing that scholarship and professional practice must work together to strengthen democracy and national development.
He explained that while scholars generate knowledge, interrogate evidence and provide intellectual frameworks for understanding society, media professionals translate information into public knowledge, hold institutions accountable and provide platforms for public conversation.
He said neither could effectively function alone, particularly at a time when digital disruption was reshaping electoral communication.
ACSPN Introduces Fellowship Awards
Olatunji also announced the introduction of the ACSPN Fellowship and Special Awards as a major innovation of the 2026 conference.
He said the awards were designed to recognise outstanding contributions to communication scholarship, professional practice and national development, while preserving institutional memory and promoting intergenerational mentorship.
Among those to receive posthumous fellowship recognition are the late Professor Lai Oso, the foundation president of ACSPN and former Dean of the School of Communication at Lagos State University, and the late Professor Dayo Alao, former Vice-Chancellor of Adeleke University and a pioneer member of the association.
Living legends and pioneer members to be recognised include Professor Idowu Sobowale, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Professor Nosa Owens-Ibie, pioneer General Secretary and current Co-Chair of the Board; Professor Umaru Alhaji Pate, immediate past National President; Professor Stella Okunna; Mr Lanre Idowu; Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, OON; and Professor Olatunji himself.
Olatunji said the awards were “more than honours,” noting that they would help preserve the history of the association and strengthen continuity within the organisation.
He said ACSPN, established in 2013 as a non-profit organisation registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, remained committed to advancing communication scholarship and professional practice in Nigeria.
He added that communication was central to governance, development, social cohesion, democracy, national integration and the building of a prosperous society.
The ACSPN president said the 2026 conference would go beyond academic discussions by generating evidence, interrogating assumptions, proposing solutions and strengthening the relationship between scholarship, professional practice, policymaking and citizen participation.
He urged stakeholders to use the conference as an opportunity to contribute to building a more informed, inclusive, peaceful and credible electoral process.
“Let the 2026 ACSPN Conference therefore become more than an annual academic gathering. Let it become a national laboratory for democratic renewal,” Olatunji said.
