NBC Issues Stern Warning to Broadcasters and Online Publishers Ahead of 2027 Elections

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has issued a comprehensive warning to all participants in Nigeria’s information ecosystem, including broadcasters, online publishers, bloggers, and social media commentators, against the dissemination of misinformation, hate speech, and inflammatory content as the nation prepares for the 2027 general elections. The Commission’s directive comes at a critical juncture when political campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections are set to commence on August 19, 2026, followed by Governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns beginning September 9, 2026. The announcement, delivered through Moses Jolayemi, Technical Adviser to NBC Director-General Charles Ebuebu, emphasizes that the commencement of political campaigns places an unprecedented responsibility on all those who disseminate information to the public to uphold the highest standards of accuracy, fairness, professionalism, and responsibility. The Commission particularly highlighted that radio and television broadcasters must recognize the enormous influence their platforms wield over public opinion and the choices citizens make during electoral processes.

The Commission has laid out specific guidelines for broadcasters regarding political coverage, emphasizing that all political content must be fair, balanced, and equitable, with strict prohibitions against using platforms to promote or suppress particular political parties, candidates, or viewpoints. According to the statement, allegations involving corruption, criminality, electoral manipulation, misconduct, and other issues capable of damaging the reputation of individuals or institutions must be subjected to appropriate editorial verification before being broadcast. The NBC stressed that the right of reply must be respected where a person or organization has been genuinely misrepresented, and cautioned presenters, anchors, reporters, producers, and hosts of political programs against allowing personal political views to be presented as established facts. The Commission was particularly emphatic that presenters must not intimidate or harass guests, suppress opposing viewpoints, or manipulate discussions in favor of particular political interests, noting that the ultimate responsibility for what goes on air remains with the broadcaster, including material introduced by guests, callers, and panelists during live or interactive programs.

In a significant expansion of oversight, the NBC announced it would pay close attention to the allocation of political airtime, directing broadcasters to maintain accurate records showing the dates, programs, and duration of political airtime allocated to parties and candidates. The Commission emphasized that equal opportunity must go beyond merely making airtime available for sale, insisting that editorial and programming practices must not systematically confer an unfair advantage on any political party, candidate, or viewpoint. Political advertising must remain clearly distinguishable from news, editorial content, analysis, and independent programming, and is subject to the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, meeting requirements of truth, decency, good taste, and morality. Of particular concern to the Commission is the potential use of broadcast, digital, and social platforms to spread inflammatory and divisive political content capable of inciting violence, promoting hatred, threatening public order, or deepening ethnic, religious, regional, or political divisions, with the statement warning that the political season must not become an avenue for mobilizing Nigerians against one another.

The NBC has also moved to address the growing challenge of unofficial election result dissemination, cautioning broadcasters and other information disseminators against spreading election results or projections from unofficial sources. The Commission stated that collated figures from polling stations, exit polls, and other unofficial sources must not be used to project or speculate on which candidate is leading or likely to win, insisting that election results and declarations of winners should only be broadcast as announced by the duly authorized electoral officer. Additionally, the Commission reminded broadcasters of the statutory campaign silence period, directing that partisan political broadcasts, campaigns, jingles, and announcements must cease no later than 24 hours before polling day. The NBC announced that its monitoring of political broadcasts would be intensified throughout the electioneering period, covering not only paid political advertisements but also news bulletins, current affairs programs, political debates, phone-in programs, interviews, commentaries, sponsored programs, live broadcasts, and other programming through which political content is disseminated, with particular attention to patterns of airtime allocation, fairness, balance, inflammatory content, misinformation, hate speech, incitement, presenter conduct, political advertising, and compliance with the campaign silence period.

The Commission extended its regulatory reach to include online publishers, bloggers, social-media commentators, and other content creators participating in the dissemination of election-related information, urging them to exercise the highest degree of responsibility in the interest of national peace and democratic stability. The statement emphasized that the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process would depend not only on the conduct of political parties, candidates, and electoral officials, but also on the credibility of the information environment in which citizens make their choices. The NBC called on all stakeholders in the information ecosystem to avoid becoming vehicles for the spread of false, hateful, inflammatory, or deliberately misleading information, while clarifying that its objective is not to restrict legitimate political expression or robust political debate but to ensure Nigeria’s information environment remains conducive to peaceful democratic participation. The Commission urged all stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the relevant provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, the Electoral Act 2026, and applicable regulations and guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The NBC’s comprehensive directive underscores the critical role of information integrity in democratic processes, with the Commission urging broadcasters and other stakeholders to approach the electioneering period not merely as a commercial opportunity but as a profound public responsibility. The statement concluded that responsible journalism, credible information, and fair political discourse would be essential to protecting national cohesion and ensuring that Nigerians are able to make informed choices at the polls. This regulatory action reflects growing concerns about the potential for misinformation and hate speech to destabilize the electoral process, particularly given Nigeria’s diverse ethnic, religious, and political landscape. The Commission’s emphasis on maintaining accurate records of political airtime allocation and its commitment to intensified monitoring throughout the electioneering period signals a more robust regulatory approach than in previous election cycles. As Nigeria prepares for what promises to be a fiercely contested electoral season, the NBC’s directive serves as a clear warning that the integrity of the information environment will be a critical battleground, with the Commission positioning itself as the guardian of fair, balanced, and responsible political communication across all media platforms.