The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has formally approved the establishment of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute in Abuja.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the approval during a world press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

The designation was granted during the 43rd General Conference of UNESCO’s Communication and Information Commission held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

With this approval, Nigeria is now positioned as a global leader in combating misinformation and disinformation, and will play a key role in driving international research, policy development, and capacity-building in Media and Information Literacy.

Idris described the development as a strong vote of confidence in Nigeria.

“The Nigerian government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is committed to fostering a society where responsible free speech drives national progress,” he said.

“A central pillar of our strategy is the democratisation of digital opportunities, with media and information literacy as the key driver.”

The announcement comes shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern over alleged religious persecution and warned of possible military action if insecurity is not addressed.