By Morolani Oluwafemi

IndyPress Organisation, in collaboration with FactCheckAfrica, hosted a virtual fact-checking training for campus journalists on Saturday, July 11, 2026, bringing together campus journalists from universities across Nigeria to strengthen verification skills and promote responsible reporting.

The training, themed “Building a Culture of Verification Before Publication,” was facilitated by Mr. Mustapha Lawal, a researcher and fact-checker with FactCheckAfrica.

Speaking at the training, Lawal explained the distinction between verification and fact-checking, stressing that while both are essential to journalism, they serve different purposes.

“For fact-checking, as the name implies, there is a fact that already exists that we are now checking. So fact-checking basically happens after there is a falsehood,” he said.

He noted that the rise of social media has transformed the information landscape, allowing virtually anyone to publish content regardless of their training or understanding of journalistic standards.

“Back in the day, before anybody could access any news, you either had to buy a newspaper the next morning or get the information through a radio show; it was only at these designated periods that you got to know what was happening. But now we’re in an era where every citizen is a journalist without even having the necessary training or the right knowledge of what field of practice actually entails” 

“With social media platforms, anyone can basically publish. But can everyone publish accurate, timely, and credible information?” he asked.

Mr Lawal emphasized that verification remains the defining responsibility of every journalist and newsroom.

“Every reporter has to verify a story every time. Verification is how journalism answers for what is published. The major difference between journalists and those who are not is literally you verifying and doubling down to check the sources.”

According to him, verification involves tracing the origin of information and confirming its authenticity before publication, while fact-checking focuses on investigating and debunking claims that have already gained public attention.

He warned that publishing unverified information could have serious consequences, especially in today’s digital environment.

“A lot of things could happen when your newsroom begins to publish before you verify. The danger of this is not just because of the society that we currently have; it’s literally because everybody is now a publisher.”

Lawal also highlighted the growing influence of artificial intelligence in the spread of misinformation, warning that AI-generated content has made verification more challenging for journalists.

“Always remember that AI can hallucinate confidently and present false information to you with outright confidence. Responsible AI use means treating every output of AI as unverified.”

He aslo explained how AI tools now enable the rapid creation of convincing false content, while noting that information, particularly rumours shared through platforms such as WhatsApp, often spreads faster than journalists can verify it.

“We are in an era where, with the advent of AI and how proliferated it has become, anyone can use AI to create falsehoods in minutes, and you might spend hours trying to verify and confirm them.”

“Campus rumours travel through WhatsApp. Information is moving faster, and AI tools have accelerated that speed. These are verification crises that campus outlets have to deal with.”

He then urged campus journalists to remain committed to accuracy despite the growing pressure to publish quickly, describing verification as the foundation of credible journalism.

The training  featured some quiz sessions and practical tips for a every campus newsroom needs. At the end of the training session, participants were required to complete a post assessment test before they were issued a certificate.

The virtual event attracted participants from several universities across Nigeria, including the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Lagos State University (LASU), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Ibadan (UI), and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.