Abuja, November 2025 — In a major effort to counter disinformation, prevent electoral violence, and strengthen democratic processes across West Africa, the Foundation for the Internationalization of Public Administration (FIAP), under the EU Support to ECOWAS on Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project, convened a two-day regional validation workshop from 18th to 19th November 2025 in Abuja.
The workshop brought together civil society organizations (CSOs) and media representatives from Nigeria, Benin, and The Gambia to validate key findings from a mapping report, a needs assessment report, and to review Elect Peace—a new digital collaborative platform designed to enhance coordination and information sharing among electoral stakeholders.
The validation workshop is part of FIAP’s wider interventions under Component 3 of the EU-funded EPSG Project, implemented jointly with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit). The component focuses on preventing electoral violence and combating misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech across the region.
To support this objective, FIAP conducted an extensive mapping exercise involving 199 organizations and a needs assessment involving 108 organizations drawn from the three West African countries. FIAP also developed Elect Peace, a collaborative digital platform aimed at promoting networking, knowledge sharing, and coordinated action among CSOs and media actors working on electoral processes and disinformation.
The opening ceremony featured remarks from representatives of implementing partners and diplomatic missions. Belen María Álvaro Sánchez welcomed participants and acknowledged the European Union, the German Cooperation, and GIZ for their support to the EPSG Project. She highlighted that the validation workshop represents a crucial step in refining the assessment reports to ensure that upcoming interventions directly address the identified gaps and needs.
Representing the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, Moustapha Doukouré commended FIAP for producing high-quality reports and reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to promoting peaceful and democratic elections in West Africa.
The Spanish Government’s commitment to the project was emphasized by Mr. Santiago Ormeño García, Country Director of AECID, who praised FIAP and GIZ for their efforts in addressing electoral violence and disinformation.
Dr. Markus Wagner, Country Director of GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, also expressed appreciation for the progress achieved, noting that support from the EU and the German Cooperation remains essential in mitigating disinformation and promoting safe and inclusive electoral processes.
Other dignitaries present included:
- Mr. Faith Ovie, Development Cooperation, Embassy of Germany
- Mrs. Hilda Ayejimiwo Nosakhare, Representative of the Danish Embassy and Danida
- Forte Jacques, Representative of the French Embassy in Nigeria
During the technical sessions facilitated by the Dataphyte Foundation, the consultant responsible for developing the reports and the platform, participants from 40 organizations engaged in an in-depth review of the documents and the Elect Peace platform.
Participants expressed high levels of engagement and ownership, noting that the findings accurately reflect the realities and needs on the ground. Their contributions were incorporated into the revised versions of the documents, which were subsequently presented and validated during the workshop.
The collective recommendations will guide the finalization of the reports and support the consolidation of Elect Peace as a regional collaborative platform for electoral integrity.
The workshop marks an important milestone in shaping future activities under the EPSG Project and contributes significantly to regional efforts aimed at preventing electoral violence and promoting peaceful, democratic elections in West Africa.
About the EPSG Project
The EPSG Project, co-funded by the European Union (EU) and German Corporation, is implemented under the Team Europe led by GIZ, in collaboration with Expertise France (EF) and FIAP, and in partnership with ECOWAS. It addresses key peace, security, and governance challenges in West Africa, focusing on early conflict detection, security sector reform, electoral assistance, and inclusive peace processes.
Under the EPSG Project, FIAP aims to strengthen institutions, electoral dialogue, and democratic processes by working closely with CSOs and media outlets to combat electoral violence, disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech, especially on social media.