The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has announced plans to convene a major regional media summit in Accra, Ghana, aimed at addressing the growing threat of disinformation to democratic governance across West Africa.
The CJID Ghana Media Summit, scheduled for July 9, 2026, will bring together journalists, policymakers, civil society actors, academics, and regional institutions to explore strategies for safeguarding democracy in an increasingly complex information environment.
With the theme, “Defending Democracy in West Africa — The Role of Media,” the summit comes amid heightened concerns over the spread of false information, synthetic media, and coordinated influence operations across the region.
The event also marks seven years of CJID’s operations in Ghana through DUBAWA Ghana, its flagship fact-checking initiative launched in Accra in 2020. The platform has played a significant role in strengthening the country’s information ecosystem through election fact-checking collaborations with the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), journalist training programmes, and partnerships under the Ghana Fact-Checking Coalition.
Ahead of the summit, CJID will host a Regional Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Workshop, where 15 journalists from across West Africa will receive intensive training in digital investigations, content verification, and techniques for tracking disinformation networks, including those powered by artificial intelligence.
The summit will feature opening remarks by Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, a member of the CJID Board, while Ghana’s National Media Commission Executive Secretary, George Sarpong, is expected to deliver the keynote address. A special address will also be delivered by Ghana’s Minister of State for Government Communications.
Goodwill messages are expected from representatives of ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations, diplomatic missions, and development partners. The event will also include the premiere of a documentary highlighting DUBAWA Ghana’s seven-year impact.
A major highlight of the summit will be a high-level panel discussion titled “Defending Democracy in the Age of Disinformation: Strategic Priorities for Media Development in Ghana and West Africa,” featuring experts from journalism, academia, policy, and media development sectors.
Speaking ahead of the event, CJID Executive Director, Akintunde Babatunde, emphasised the urgency of strengthening information systems in the face of evolving digital threats.
“The quality of our democracies will increasingly depend on the quality of our information ecosystems. As artificial intelligence and coordinated disinformation campaigns become more sophisticated, there is a need for credible institutions, skilled journalists, and stronger regional collaboration,” he said.
Babatunde added that the summit would move beyond identifying challenges to developing practical, collective solutions to enhance information integrity across West Africa.
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CJID has extended invitations to media organisations, civil society groups, policymakers, researchers, and development partners across the region to participate in the summit, with full programme and venue details expected to be released soon.
The organisation, which operates in 13 African countries, is known for its work in promoting media integrity, combating misinformation, and strengthening democratic accountability through initiatives such as DUBAWA, West Africa’s IFCN-verified fact-checking platform.
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