The United Nations and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) have jointly raised concerns over the growing threat of hate speech and unethical political practices ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at a high-level roundtable on Ethical and Hate-Free Politics in Nigeria on Monday, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Malick Fall, called for urgent action to address the dangers posed by hate speech, particularly in the digital space.

He warned that disinformation and online hostility are undermining public trust in democratic institutions and inflaming social divisions.

“Hate speech strips people of their dignity and undermines the very foundation of democracy,” said Mr. Fall.
“We must promote information integrity, where public debate is grounded in facts and democratic choices are protected from manipulation.”

He urged Nigeria’s political parties to lead by example, focusing their campaigns on policies rather than insults, and adopting codes of conduct that reject hate speech.

The UN also called for greater cooperation with the media and tech platforms to reduce the spread of harmful content.
The discourse, co-hosted by the National Human Rights Commission, also featured a keynote address by NHRC Executive Secretary, Dr. Tony Ojukwu (SAN).

Ojukwu described hate speech as “a major threat to democracy” and revealed the commission’s ongoing efforts to combat it through monitoring, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement.

Ojukwu highlighted key initiatives such as establishing a National Hate Speech Register, providing specialised training for staff on monitoring and enforcement, and developing a Charter on Ethical and Hate-Free Politics to be proposed to all political parties.

“From vote buying to divisive rhetoric, unethical political communication is weakening public trust and threatening democratic consolidation,” said Ojukwu. “Democracy thrives not only on the ballot but in the values we uphold between elections.”

He emphasised the need to protect pluralism, uphold ethical standards, and ensure inclusive participation, particularly for women, youth, persons with disabilities, and minority groups.

The event, which marks the International Day of Democracy, is themed “Democracy and Inclusion in an Age of Insecurity,” and the global emphasis on “Achieving Gender Equality, Action by Action” resonated strongly throughout the discussions.

Participants at the roundtable included representatives of political parties, media professionals, civil society leaders, and international partners, all of whom were urged to commit to peaceful and respectful political engagement in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.

The roundtable was conducted in sessions; the session on ‘Hate speech, Human Rights and Elections in Nigeria’s Politics: Trending and Impact’ was moderated by Adwoa Kuffour from the UN office and Hilary Ogbonna from NHRC, while the session on Hate speech standards and accountability was hosted by Mojirayo Ogunlana of the NBA, along with other sessions.