The Federal Government has announced February 2026 as the official start date for the world’s first United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Category 2 Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Centre, which is located in Abuja.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris, made the announcement during a visit by UNESCO’s Head of Office in Nigeria, Dr Jean-Paul Ngome Abiaga. He said the Centre shows Nigeria’s strong commitment to promoting media literacy and tackling misinformation and fake news.
According to the Minister, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that work on the Centre should begin immediately. He assured that the government is fully ready to support the new Institute. He noted that the Centre will serve people around the world and help build peace and unity through a better understanding of media and information.
The Minister explained that the Centre will provide training for professionals from different countries, who will then return home to train others. He added that the project fits into the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to equip citizens with accurate and useful information.
In his remarks, Dr Abiaga congratulated Nigeria for securing the world’s first Media and Information Literacy Associated Centre. He said UNESCO is proud of Nigeria’s leadership and believes the country is setting an example for Africa and the world.
To ensure the Centre starts smoothly, the Minister said work is ongoing to finalise legal and operational structures, appoint a pioneer Director-General, and develop high-quality training programmes for media workers, policymakers, educators, researchers, and young digital communicators.
He added that Nigeria will continue to work closely with UNESCO to make sure the Centre meets global standards and delivers real impact. The Minister also said UNESCO’s trust in Nigeria sends a strong message of confidence in the country’s development efforts.
The meeting ended with the Minister presenting the FGN CONNECT Magazine to the UNESCO team, highlighting the Ministry’s communication and public awareness initiatives.
