Digital Media for Peace

Over the years, digital media has expanded, adding a new dimension to peacebuilding efforts. In particular, social media platforms have emerged as critical spaces for dialogue, activism, and promoting nonviolent conflict transformation. For instance, within Nigeria’s peace processes, social media has gradually assumed a central role, especially as conflicts increasingly shift from physical to online. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp are widely used to foster communication and facilitate dialogue across the country’s diverse communities.

Digital media platforms have enabled individuals from diverse ethnic, religious, and regional backgrounds to engage in discussions about shared experiences, grievances, and hope. This has made social media an indispensable tool in Nigeria’s peacebuilding landscape by facilitating real-time communication and mobilisation during violent conflict. For instance, social media has been instrumental in dispelling rumours that often deescalate violence. The immediacy of these platforms enhances the effectiveness of early conflict resolution efforts.

Other digital media applications, such as systems for early warnings, can help prevent violence. Monitoring social media platforms by peacebuilders and government agencies can identify the triggers for potential conflict, such as hate speech, inflammatory content, or circulation of provocative videos. This is already a promise the digital peacebuilding ecosystem of Nigeria has shown- driven by civil society organisations collaborating with technology companies. These actors have developed tools through which communities can report violent incidents, threats, or social unrest in real time. Such information allows security agencies or peacebuilding organisations to mount timely responses. Additionally, online monitoring platforms track online discourse to identify areas where intervention is needed, helping prevent conflicts before they escalate. However, while social media platforms offer great potential and opportunities for peace, they can also be used to amplify dangerous narratives.

One of Nigeria’s biggest challenges is the rapid spread of fake news and hate speech. In many instances, these fake stories have inflamed tensions and distrust, provoking violence between communities. In response, fact-checking initiatives and media literacy campaigns have been integrated into various digital peacebuilding strategies. Organisations like International Alert have underlined the need for public engagement, especially among young people, to develop the needed skills to identify and counter misinformation. These educational initiatives on responsible media consumption encourage individuals to verify information, helping mitigate false narratives’ harmful effects on conflict dynamics.

Youths, who comprise over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population, are significant in fuelling and dousing conflict. An active social media presence implies they can also become important stakeholders in peacebuilding efforts. Therefore, digital peacebuilding can be an avenue to empower young Nigerians to use their voices to advocate for peace rather than violence. Youth-led movements promoting tolerance, empathy, and non-violence can harness social media campaigns that feature influencers and artists encouraging their followers to engage in peaceful dialogue and reject divisive rhetoric. Campaigns such as #EndSARS, which initially focused on police brutality, later metamorphosed into broader movements advocating for systemic reforms and peace. Young influencers played a significant role in mobilising these movements, demonstrating the immense power of digital media in shaping public opinion and driving social change. Through their platforms, they showcased how online activism can amplify calls for justice, reform, and nonviolent solutions to societal issues.

To fully harness the potential of digital peacebuilding, it is crucial for stakeholders to strike a delicate balance between implementing necessary regulations and ensuring that online spaces remain open, accessible, and inclusive for meaningful dialogue. On the one hand, regulation is essential to curb harmful content, prevent misinformation, and protect vulnerable groups from online harassment and abuse. However, overly restrictive policies could stifle freedom of expression, limit diverse perspectives, and inadvertently silence marginalised voices that are critical to fostering understanding and reconciliation. Ultimately, maintaining this equilibrium is essential for cultivating an environment where digital tools can be used to build peace, mediate conflicts, and promote social cohesion, all without compromising the fundamental principles of free expression, inclusivity, and diversity.

Even as progress is made in different directions, challenges persist that hinder the full implementation of digital media for peace in Nigeria. Issues such as misinformation, cyber harassment, and digital divides continue to pose obstacles. Also, the Nigerian government’s regulation of social media in 2021 raised concerns about free speech and access to information. To fully harness digital peacebuilding, it is crucial for stakeholders to strike a balance between necessary regulation and ensuring that online spaces remain open and inclusive for dialogue.

Going forward, there is a need for better coordination on the part of the government, civil society, and technology companies. This collaboration forms the foundation for scaling up digital peacebuilding initiatives, advancing digital literacy, and ensuring universal access to digital tools and platforms, especially for marginalised communities. Achieving this requires concerted effort and inclusivity from all sectors of Nigerian society, leveraging the immense potential of digital media to foster lasting peace. Digital media offers Nigeria an unparalleled opportunity to build peace within its greatly divided communities. Conflicts can be prevented by bridging digital divides and using platforms to promote dialogue, counter misinformation, engage youth, and support community-driven programmes. The full potential of digital media in peacebuilding will only be realised through collaboration across all sectors, with a shared commitment to using digital platforms responsibly and constructively.