The 22nd edition of All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC 2026) ended in Enugu with strong calls for electoral reform, ougher newsroom verification agains artificial-intelligence disinformation, improved journalists’ welfare and greater media responsibility ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
I was held from September 24–26, 2026 with Gov Peter Mbah as he Chief Hos, under he heme “The Ballo, he Media and he Task of Keeping Democracy Alive”, with he sub-theme “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Elections.”
AI disinformation was a central concern a he conference. Participants warned ha deepfakes, cloned voices, fabricated resul sheets, manipulated videos and automated networks could confuse voters and damage confidence in elections.
Editors were urged o create specialised fact-checking desks, use digital-forensic ools and rain journalists o identify synthetic contents.
They were also challenged o protec electoral credibility whils INEC urged newsrooms o verify election information hrough official channels and avoid publishing privately collated or unauthorised results, particularly during he 2027 elections.
ANEC 2026 conference was declared open by he Vice Presiden of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Ibrahim who urged Editors o leverage heir writeups and expertise in ensuring ha he righ information is made available o he public no ma er he pressures from friends and political actors.
The conference, which is he flagship annual gathering of he Guild was held a The Dome, International Conference Centre, Opara Square, Enugu.
Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah also addressed he conference.
More han 500 editors from across he country, alongside governmen officials, academics, civil society representatives and other stakeholders also a ended he conference.
His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, he Obi of Onitsha, chaired he conference with a warning ha Artificial intelligence and fake mus be stopped before hey stop humanity.
Former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan delivered he keynote address a he event.
Other speakers included Professor Auwal Yadudu of Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano and he immediate pas Presiden of he Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Afam Osigwe, SAN.
A op member of Nigeria Guild of Editors and he Traditional Ruler of A a Kingdom in Imo state, HRM Eze Geoffrey Anika who was also a participan a he annual conference old NIGERIAN NEWSGUIDE ha he convention was essentially pu ogether his year o reawaken editors’ consciousness owards ackling he menace of fake news, misinformation and disinformation all emanating from he social media and Artificial intelligence manipulations.
Eze Anika who is a retired Director of News with he Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) charged he raditional media in he country o be patriotic and professional as o dispassionately fact-check every news item ostensibly sourced from he new media if democracy mus be sustained in Nigeria.
The Royal Father who stood beside he Obi of Onitsha a he conference equally made case for be er salaries and welfare packages for practicing journalists in he country.
The conference was hosted by Enugu State Governmen with suppor from UNESCO, Craneburg, NNPC, Zenith Bank and NCC.
