The Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has announced February 2026 as the official commencement date for the world’s first UNESCO Category 2 Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Centre, to be hosted in Abuja, Nigeria.
He made the announcement during a courtesy visit by the Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Nigeria, Dr Jean-Paul Ngome Abiaga, highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to championing global media literacy and combating misinformation, disinformation, and fake news.
The Minister stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given clear directives for the Centre to begin operations without delay, affirming the administration’s readiness to support its establishment.
“Nigeria will not delay this global responsibility. The UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Institute will commence operations in February 2026, with full support from the Federal Government. We are ready, and we will deliver,” he said.
Idris emphasised that the Centre is a global institution that will serve humanity and strengthen national unity through media literacy.
“This Institute is not just for Nigeria. It is a global centre that will transform how nations handle fake news, misinformation, and digital literacy. We are building a world-class institution that will train people who will go back and train others worldwide,” he added.
He further explained that the Centre aligns with the Federal Government’s national orientation drive under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at empowering citizens with factual, responsible, and developmental information.
In his remarks, Dr Abiaga said the visit was to congratulate Nigeria for securing the first Media and Information Literacy Associated Centre globally.
“It is important for us to come and introduce our team that works on communication and information, and to congratulate the Honourable Minister for the big achievement that Nigeria has managed to achieve at the last UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand,” he stated.
Dr Abiaga praised Nigeria’s leadership and international example.
“To have the first in the world Media and Information Literacy Institute established here is something we are very proud of. Nigeria is showing the example, not only in Africa, but also across the world,” he said, adding that Nigeria’s success represents a continental victory: “If we succeed in Nigeria, it is the whole of Africa which succeeds.”
To ensure a smooth launch, the Minister outlined immediate actions already underway, including finalising legal and operational frameworks and appointing a pioneer Director-General to lead the Centre ahead of its launch.
He also revealed that work has begun on developing international-standard training programmes designed for media professionals, public information managers, policymakers, educators, researchers, youth leaders, and digital communicators from Nigeria and around the world.
The Minister confirmed that Nigeria will continue to deepen technical collaboration with UNESCO and the Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO to ensure the Institute meets global expectations and delivers measurable impact. He described UNESCO’s confidence in Nigeria as a powerful message to sceptics of the country’s development trajectory.
“At a time when some doubt Nigeria’s capacity, UNESCO has reaffirmed our place as a true partner in global development. We will honour that confidence,” he said.
The meeting concluded with the Minister presenting the FGN CONNECT Magazine to the visiting UNESCO team, showcasing national communication strategies, public awareness initiatives, and development-focused storytelling led by the Ministry.
