President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved funding for the immediate operationalization of the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Institute in Nigeria, according to Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information.
The announcement was made during a meeting between Idris and Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, on the sidelines of Tinubu’s visit to France.
“The president has been very supportive of the take-off process and has approved the release of all funds required for the immediate operationalisation of the institute, which will be located in the Federal Capital Territory,” Idris said.
He expressed gratitude to UNESCO for choosing Nigeria to host the world’s only category 2 MIL institute, describing it as an honor for the country.
Jelassi lauded Nigeria’s commitment to the project, emphasizing the institute’s role in combating misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech globally. He also noted its alignment with UNESCO’s mission to promote critical thinking, platform transparency, and freedom of expression through its Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms.
During the meeting, Jelassi highlighted the UNESCO MIL Cities initiative, which integrates media and information literacy into city infrastructure, including transport, culture, and community activities. He encouraged Nigeria to present a city for inclusion in the initiative’s inaugural global set of MIL cities.
Idris pledged Nigeria’s full participation, assuring that the country will position itself to maximize the benefits of the initiative.
