The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has announced plans to strengthen collaboration with online media organisations to deepen voter education, combat electoral misinformation and promote peaceful participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed this on Tuesday when he received a delegation of the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE), led by its Chairman, Mr Sola Akingboye, during a courtesy visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Issa-Onilu said the proposed partnership would enable the agency to expand its public enlightenment campaigns, particularly among young Nigerians, who constitute a significant proportion of the country’s population.
He noted that although NOA operates 810 offices nationwide, collaboration with independent media organisations remained critical to reaching wider audiences and strengthening public understanding of government policies and national issues.
According to him, about 76 per cent of Nigerians are below the age of 35, making online publications an important channel for communicating voter education messages and other civic responsibilities.
The NOA chief said the agency was ready to strengthen its relationship with ACOE by facilitating access to its officials and field offices to support effective news gathering and information dissemination.
He added that the agency had established a Communication and Media Department to coordinate media relations and partnerships, assuring the association of priority access whenever NOA needed to communicate with the public through online platforms.
On preparations for the 2027 elections, Issa-Onilu disclosed that the agency had commenced a nationwide voter mobilisation campaign aimed at encouraging citizens to participate actively in the electoral process.
He said the campaign was formally launched about three weeks ago at the NAV Centre, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, development partners and civil society organisations in attendance.
According to him, the initiative goes beyond encouraging voter turnout to educating Nigerians on their rights and responsibilities before, during and after elections.
The agency, he said, was targeting greater participation among the country’s nearly 100 million registered voters, while promoting peaceful conduct and a better understanding of electoral procedures.
Issa-Onilu identified inadequate voter and democracy education as one of the major lessons from the 2023 general elections, noting that misconceptions about electoral procedures generated controversies, particularly on social media.
He cited confusion surrounding the voting status of the Federal Capital Territory and the distinction between electronic accreditation, voting and electronic transmission of results as issues that required more public enlightenment.
He stressed that Nigerians needed a clearer understanding of the combination of manual and electronic processes involved in elections to prevent the misinterpretation of electoral procedures.
The NOA director-general also maintained that public confidence in INEC was essential to successful voter mobilisation, warning that citizens would be discouraged from participating if they believed their votes would not count.
He said the agency was working with INEC to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process, urging the commission to sustain efforts towards improving election credibility.
Issa-Onilu expressed optimism that recent off-cycle elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states offered encouraging indications about the electoral process, adding that credible elections would reduce post-election disputes and unnecessary litigation.
He, however, cautioned against the deliberate spread of misinformation and attempts to undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
The NOA boss also challenged journalists to embrace developmental journalism, uphold national interest and hold public institutions accountable without providing platforms for individuals seeking to destabilise the country.
He stressed that the media had a responsibility to promote national development while drawing attention to areas requiring improvement.
Earlier, ACOE Chairman, Sola Akingboye, said the association, which comprises more than 50 online media organisations, was seeking a mutually beneficial partnership with NOA to strengthen public enlightenment and responsible information dissemination.
Akingboye commended Issa-Onilu’s leadership, particularly the agency’s National Values Charter, grassroots communication initiatives and efforts to promote patriotism, integrity and responsible citizenship.
He said ACOE’s digital reach, editorial experience and storytelling capacity would help amplify NOA’s verified activities, public information campaigns and nationwide sensitisation programmes.
The chairman called for timely access to official information, media visits to the agency’s state and zonal offices, as well as periodic engagements with the director-general and other senior officials.
He explained that the proposed arrangements would enable members of the association to obtain firsthand information about NOA’s activities and improve public understanding of its programmes.
Akingboye also invited NOA to partner with ACOE as a platinum sponsor of its public lecture scheduled for November 19, 2026, and requested that Issa-Onilu deliver the keynote address.
He said the event would bring together stakeholders from the media, government and private sector to discuss national development as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
