The National Broadcasting Commission ,NBC, has warned broadcasters, online publishers, bloggers and other information disseminators against using their platforms to spread misinformation, hate speech, inflammatory content and other materials capable of undermining peaceful elections.
The warning came on Wednesday as political campaigns for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections officially commenced.
In a statement issued by Moses Jolayemi, Technical Adviser to the Director-General of the NBC, Charles Ebuebu, the Commission said the commencement of political campaigns had placed greater responsibility on those disseminating information to uphold accuracy, fairness,
professionalism and responsibility.
The NBC urged licensed broadcasters to ensure that political coverage remained fair, balanced and equitable, stressing that their platforms must not be used to promote or suppress any political party, candidate or viewpoint.
It also cautioned against presenting unverified political claims, allegations, statistics and assertions as facts.
According to the Commission, allegations bordering on corruption, criminality, electoral manipulation, misconduct and other issues capable of damaging the reputation of individuals or institutions must undergo appropriate editorial verification before broadcast.
It further reminded broadcasters of the obligation to respect the right of reply where individuals or organisations had been genuinely misrepresented.
The NBC specifically warned presenters, anchors, reporters, producers and hosts of political programmes against presenting their personal political opinions as established facts.
“Programme hosts must not intimidate or harass guests, suppress opposing views or manipulate discussions in favour of particular political interests,” the commission said.
The Commission stressed that broadcasters remain responsible for all materials aired on their platforms, including comments made by guests, callers and panellists during live or interactive programmes.
On political airtime, the NBC directed broadcasters to maintain accurate records of the dates, programmes and duration of airtime allocated to political parties and candidates.
It said equal opportunity must go beyond simply making airtime available for purchase, noting that editorial and programming practices must not systematically give an unfair advantage to any political party, candidate or viewpoint.
The Commission also reminded broadcasters that political advertisements must be clearly distinguished from news, editorial content, analysis and independent programming.
It warned that political advertisements must comply with the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and meet requirements relating to truth, decency, good taste and morality.
The NBC expressed particular concern over the possible use of broadcast, digital and social media platforms to circulate inflammatory and divisive political content.
It cautioned against materials capable of inciting violence, promoting hatred, threatening public order or deepening ethnic, religious, regional or political divisions.
The Commission also warned against broadcasting election results or projections from unofficial sources.
It said figures collated from polling stations, exit polls and other unofficial sources must not be used to project or speculate on which candidate was leading or likely to win.
According to the NBC, election results and declarations of winners should only be broadcast as announced by the duly authorised electoral officer.
The Commission further reminded broadcasters of the statutory campaign silence period, directing that partisan political broadcasts, campaigns, jingles and announcements must cease not later than 24 hours before polling day.
It disclosed that monitoring of political broadcasts would be intensified throughout the electioneering period, covering paid political advertisements, news bulletins, current affairs programmes, political debates, phone-in programmes, interviews, commentaries, sponsored programmes, live broadcasts and other political content.
The NBC said particular attention would be given to airtime allocation, fairness and balance, inflammatory content, misinformation, hate speech, incitement, presenter conduct, political advertising and compliance with the campaign silence period.
The Commission equally urged online publishers, bloggers, social media commentators and other content creators to exercise the highest degree of responsibility when disseminating election-related information.
It said 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 voters make their choices.
The NBC stressed that its objective was not to restrict legitimate political expression or robust political debate, but to ensure that Nigeria’s information environment remained conducive to peaceful democratic participation.
It urged all stakeholders to familiarise 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 current INEC timetable provides for Presidential and National Assembly campaigns to commence on August 19, 2026, while campaigns for Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled to begin on September 9, 2026.
The NBC called on broadcasters and other stakeholders to approach the electioneering period not merely as a commercial opportunity, but as a major public responsibility.
It said responsible journalism, credible information and fair political discourse would be critical to protecting national cohesion and enabling Nigerians to make informed choices at the polls.