Lai Mohammed: AI-Generated Fake News Could Undermine Democracy, Public Trust
Ayodeji Ake
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has warned that the growing use of artificial intelligence(AI) to generate fake news, deepfakes and fabricated audio recordings could undermine democracy, public trust and national security.
He said the increasing sophistication of disinformation had made it easier to manipulate public opinion, distort political debates and circulate false narratives capable of triggering violence and social unrest.
Mohammed gave the warning recently while delivering the maiden public lecture of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, titled, “Fake News, Disinformation and Artificial Intelligence: Defending Truth and Public Trust in the Digital Age.”
The former minister, who served between 2015 and 2023, said AI had fundamentally changed the information landscape by making it possible to produce convincing fake photographs, videos, voices and entire personalities at relatively little cost.
“The greater danger is that AI may create an environment in which people stop believing anything,” he said.
He warned that the emergence of deepfakes could make it increasingly difficult to establish the authenticity of digital evidence, particularly during elections and politically sensitive periods.
According to him, the problem could also encourage individuals confronted with genuine evidence to dismiss it as fabricated.
He described this as the ‘liar’s dividend’, explaining that people could exploit public awareness of AI-generated content to deny genuine recordings or evidence.
“This presents a profound challenge to journalism, law enforcement, the courts, elections and democratic accountability,” he said.
Reflecting on his experience in government, Mohammed recalled that the federal government launched the National Campaign Against Fake News and Misinformation in July 2018 after recognising the implications of false information for national security and social cohesion.
He said the initiative followed an extraordinary session of the National Council on Information held in Jos, Plateau State, in July 2017, which focused on fake news and hate speech.
Recalling his personal experience, the former minister disclosed that a false report alleging he had $1.2 billion in his bank account once created tension in his family.
He said his wife, having seen the report, suggested that she should be made a signatory to the purported account in preparation for any eventuality.
“I had to take time to explain that the report was entirely false, and that my ministry’s annual budget was only a fraction of the amount alleged,” he said.
Mohammed also cited the 2018 mob violence in India, reportedly triggered by false WhatsApp messages about child abductions, and a May 2026 incident in Ogun State where a TikTok content creator allegedly staged a fake bandit attack to attract followers.
He cautioned governments against using the fight against misinformation to suppress legitimate criticism.
“A democratic government must not demand that citizens believe everything it says. Its responsibility is to make accurate, timely and verifiable information available,” he said.
He urged journalists to strengthen fact-checking and verification, arguing that professional journalism remained indispensable in an information environment increasingly dominated by synthetic content.
“The more information we have, the more valuable professional verification becomes,” he added.
The former minister also called on universities to make media and information literacy a core component of education, stressing that students must learn to question sensational claims, examine original sources and verify information before sharing it.
He proposed stronger technological safeguards, responsible AI deployment, public education and protection of freedom of expression as essential measures against disinformation.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University, Prof. Olalekan Asikhia, said the university selected the theme because of the growing challenge of distinguishing authentic information from fabricated content.
He disclosed that Nigeria recorded 157.7 million active internet subscriptions in July 2026, compared with 140.3 million in August 2025.
Citing the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025, Asikhia said 84 per cent of Nigerian respondents expressed concern about distinguishing real information from fake content online.
He said the maiden public lecture was designed to strengthen public engagement with critical national issues and promote the university’s commitment to knowledge, integrity and service.
Mohammed, in his concluding remarks, urged Nigerians to take personal responsibility for the information they circulate.
“When you share a video without checking it, you become part of its distribution chain,” he said, adding that citizens must choose verification over virality and evidence over emotio