IPCR DG Seeks Stronger Partnership to Reinforce Online Media, Curb Misinformation
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, has urged stakeholders to intensify efforts toward strengthening corporate online media, warning that the sector has become too critical to national stability to be left unmanaged.
Ochogwu made the call in Abuja during the third anniversary celebration of the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE), where he delivered a keynote address titled “Strengthening Corporate Online Media for National Development.”
Describing the theme as apt and timely, the IPCR boss commended ACOE for what he called its “forward-looking leadership,” adding that online media now occupies a central role in shaping public narratives, driving accountability, and promoting democratic participation.
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“More than half of Nigerians now obtain their information online. You are not just reporters; you are agenda-setters, gatekeepers, and guardians of public trust,” he said.
Represented by the Deputy Director in the Office of the DG, Chukwuemeka Mbah, Ochogwu expressed concern over the rising spread of misinformation, noting that it continues to fuel tension in an already fragile security environment.
He cited the November 2025 abduction of more than 300 students and teachers in Niger State, saying false reports that accompanied the incident worsened public fear and eroded confidence in authorities.
He stressed that strengthening the online media landscape would enhance governance, transparency, peacebuilding, economic development, and civic engagement.
Outlining what he called five core obligations for corporate online editors, the DG listed accuracy, digital innovation, national interest, anti-sensationalism, and unity-focused reporting as areas that require renewed commitment.
Ochogwu reaffirmed the institute’s readiness to deepen its collaboration with ACOE through research partnerships, training on conflict-sensitive reporting, early-warning information exchange, and joint media literacy programmes.
According to him, building a credible and responsible online media environment is indispensable to securing Nigeria’s future.
