FG sets February 2026 for take-off of UNESCO media literacy centre

By : Joel Oladele

Date: 5 December 2025 11:23am WAT

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Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris

The Federal Government has fixed February 2026 for the commencement of operations at the world’s first UNESCO Category 2 Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Centre, to be hosted in Abuja.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the date in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the UNESCO Head of Office and Representative a.i. to Nigeria, Dr Jean-Paul Ngome Abiaga.

He said President Bola Tinubu had issued firm directives to ensure the centre begins work without delay, describing it as a major national and global responsibility. “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 explained that the centre would be a global hub for strengthening media literacy, combating misinformation and disinformation, and fostering unity through factual and responsible information.

According to him, the institute will train professionals who will, in turn, build capacity in their home countries. “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.

The Minister linked the project to the Federal Government’s wider national orientation drive under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to empower citizens with credible and developmental information.

In his remarks, Dr Abiaga congratulated Nigeria for securing the first MIL Associated Centre globally, describing the achievement as a landmark for the country and the continent. “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,” Idris remarked.

He added that the success holds continental significance, noting, “If we succeed in Nigeria, it is the whole of Africa which succeeds.”

To ensure a smooth take-off, Idris outlined several early steps, including finalising the legal and operational frameworks and appointing a pioneer Director-General who will lead preparations ahead of the launch.

He also disclosed that work has begun on developing international-standard training programmes for media professionals, policymakers, educators, researchers, youth leaders and digital communicators from within and outside Nigeria.

The Minister further reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening technical collaboration with UNESCO and the Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO to ensure the centre meets global expectations. “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,” Idris said.

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