Securing Information Integrity And Countering Disinformation In West Africa Through Media Training – OpEd

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, through its Directorate of Communication, has taken diverse measures to counter disinformation, while sustaining further an integrity in the information sphere in West African region. In late January 2026, it convened a two-day regional training programme for journalists and media practitioners in Cabo Verde, to strengthen information integrity and counter disinformation, misinformation and harmful narratives in West Africa.

This training aims to equip media professionals with the knowledge, tools and techniques necessary to detect, counter and report on disinformation while respecting the principles of ethical and fact-based journalism. In doing so, ECOWAS seeks to strengthen democratic governance and promote informed public discourse in West Africa.

Presiding over the opening ceremony, Deputy Coordinator of the ECOWAS national office, Mamadou Moustapha Seck, emphasised the importance of the training, stating that it was specifically designed to enable journalists to tackle disinformation and promote responsible journalism based on verified facts.

Seck emphasised the essential role of media professionals in implementing ECOWAS' Vision 2050, adopted in 2022, whose first pillar is peace, security and stability in the region. "The first step in getting back to basics, in my view, is to ensure the integrity of information, wherever it may come from and whatever interest it may hold for different parties. This means that everyone must exercise self-restraint, rise above partisan contingencies and clamour, and uphold the principles of ethics and professional conduct in order to analyse, verify, corroborate and even experiment before disseminating information," he stressed during interaction with participants.

The training programme was organised by the Acting Director of Communications at the ECOWAS Commission, Joël Ahofodji, and supported by Jonas Tylewski, Director of Communications at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Senegal, and Dr. Impraim Kojo, Director of Programmes at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).

Dr. Impraim Kojo made reference to organisers for their fruitful collaboration in implementing the training, the ultimate goal of which is to strengthen democracy, counter the spread of fake news and safeguard peace in the region.

Jonas Tylewski emphasised the need for collective action against the rising tide of disinformation, underlined the fact that dissemination of unverified information is dangerous. Tylewski concluded, by reaffirming Germany and GIZ's commitment to working hand in hand with ECOWAS and Senegal to disseminate accurate and verified information as a fundamental pillar of peace and democracy in west Africa.

Organised by the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and with the support of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the training's primary aim was to enhance participants' capacities in media and information literacy, fact-checking, responsible use of digital tools, and ethical journalism, while contributing to the promotion of democracy, and good governance in the region.

Mrs. Kelly Lopes, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Cabo Verde, underscored the strategic importance of the media as a pillar of democratic governance and social cohesion, stressing that information integrity is essential to sustaining public trust and regional stability.

Earlier, Joël Ahofodji highlighted that the training seeks to strengthen journalists' ability to deliver responsible, investigative and fact-based reporting, capable of countering disinformation and supporting peace and democratic values in West Africa.

Representative of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Seco Baldé and the Media Foundation for West Africa, represented by Dr. Kojo Impraim, reaffirmed their commitment to supporting ECOWAS in building a resilient, professional and ethical media ecosystem, aligned with the Organisation's Vision 2050, which aspires to a peaceful, integrated and prosperous West Africa.

Through this initiative, ECOWAS seeks to institutionalise information integrity as a strategic pillar of democratic governance and regional stability, by equipping journalists with the skills, ethical standards and digital tools required to effectively counter information disorder. The training reflects the organisation's broader commitment to strengthening professional and resilient media systems, fostering informed public discourse, and supporting peace, social cohesion and regional integration, in full alignment with ECOWAS Vision 2050.