Nigeria’s public sphere is trapped between viral falsehoods and meaningful silence.
By: Zainab Musa
Nigeria’s information ecosystem is polarized. On one end lies misinformation—fast, emotional, and viral. On the other lies silence—complex truths that struggle for attention.
Algorithms reward outrage, not nuance. Serious policy conversations are drowned out by sensationalism, while credible journalism competes with rumor at a disadvantage.
The result is a distorted public discourse where visibility replaces accuracy and engagement replaces understanding. This weakens democratic accountability and public trust.
Solving this crisis requires media literacy, editorial courage, and platforms committed to depth over clicks. Democracy depends not just on free information, but on meaningful information.
Zainab Musa
Media researcher focused on information ecosystems, misinformation, and public discourse.
