FactCheck Africa Launches Election Integrity Initiative

On Friday, FactCheck Africa inaugurated the TruthGuard Election Integrity and Misinformation Situation Room to monitor and counter misinformation ahead of the Osun State governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026. Olasupo Abideen, the Founder of FactCheck Africa, stated that the initiative was launched due to rising political tensions and security concerns in Osun.

The Situation Room aims to protect the electoral information space through real-time monitoring, independent fact-checking, and rapid responses to misinformation, hate speech, and technology-facilitated violence. Abideen noted that the National Peace Committee, via The Kukah Centre’s Election Security Information Hub, identified 15 local government areas in Osun as critical and high-risk for election-related violence.

The initiative will involve fact-checkers, journalists, and data analysts to verify claims and provide accurate information, while also focusing on protecting vulnerable groups from online abuse. Abideen urged various stakeholders to report suspicious election-related claims.