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On Wednesday, at least 15 Nigerian media outlets joined forces to fight misinformation ahead of next year's elections, initially as a result of a collaborative effort, with the country's main political parties exchanging allegations of fabrication and exaggeration.
The CrossCheck Nigeria project aims to bring normally competing newsrooms to work together to investigate and refute false statements, especially on social media.
Completed investigations will be on a central platform only when at least five partners have approved the work, with the aim of improving public understanding and trust.
Nigerians will go to the polls on February 16 to elect a new president and a new parliament, while governors and state bademblies will be elected two weeks later.
President Muhammadu Buhari is looking for a second four-year term, but former vice president Atiku Abubakar faces a daunting challenge.
The race should be tight given his dissatisfaction with Buhari and his record for improving national security and the economy, as well as fighting corruption.
Its ruling party, the Progressive Congress (APC), has been accused of plagiarizing its slogan and "Next Level" design for the re-election campaign.
The People's Democratic Party of Abubakar (PDP) has been criticized for using photos of dead African Union soldiers killed by Nigerian soldiers killed in a recent Boko Haram attack.
CrossCheck Nigeria is home to around 50 local print, broadcast and online media reporters, as well as AFP, supported by academic partners from the University of Lagos.
The public will be able to give advice via WhatsApp.
The International Inquiry Center (ICIR), based in Abuja, will coordinate the project, which follows similar initiatives in Brazil and France.
ICIR's executive director, Dayo Aiyetan, said that Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp had become "ways for politicians to spread misinformation, rumors, lies and false news".
"The media has the responsibility to check the information on social media to make sure it is true," he added.
First Draft, a UK non-profit organization dedicated to combating misinformation around the world, brings its expertise in technology and research.
Jenni Sargent, CEO of First Draft, said the Nigerian project and other similar projects were designed to help the public make informed policy choices.
"This transparency is essential to maintaining trust and credibility in this era of misinformation," she added.
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