2027 polls: NBC, INEC join forces against unethical broadcasting

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are set to introduce joint broadcast monitoring measures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The initiative would tackle unethical broadcast practices and promote responsible electoral coverage nationwide.

The NBC Director-General, Charles Ebuebu, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Ebuebu said the commission would collaborate with INEC to improve election monitoring through advanced technology.

He said agencies could no longer operate separately, especially with the growth of digital and online platforms.

“We have written to INEC, and we are going to have a joint monitoring outlook over the elections.

“Gone are the days where agencies work in silos. When we coordinate, we’re able to monitor more effectively,” he said.

Ebuebu explained that joint monitoring would enable NBC and INEC to address violations collectively rather than independently.

He added that NBC was engaging with other stakeholders, including digital platform regulators, to strengthen election monitoring.

“We are  calling in other stakeholders to reinforce the election monitoring.

“We are signing agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Information Technology Development Agency, before the elections,” he said.

Ebuebu said the commission was upgrading its facilities with artificial intelligence tools to track the expanding broadcast environment.

“With online platforms, there are thousands of them.

“You need more than staff; you need AI monitoring facilities,” he said.

He noted that NBC had improved its monitoring system and could currently track almost 50 channels from its Abuja facility.

Ebuebu said the commission would set  up more monitoring systems across the country in line with new technology trends in broadcasting.

The NBC director-general also announced a sensitisation workshop in Ibadan for broadcasters, INEC officials, security agencies and other stakeholders.

He said the workshop is crucial because discussions around elections are becoming heated, even on television.

Ebuebu said some broadcasters forget professional guidelines during election periods, requiring continuous reminders about the broadcast code.

“We have had to write several of them because they simply forget what the code says,” he said.

He assured that the commission would continue strengthening compliance measures ahead of the 2027 elections.

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