Challenge
An NGO operating across West Africa identified growing concerns over the scale and influence of information pollution, misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and hate speech on public trust, social cohesion, and security. According to the organisation, electoral cycles in Nigeria and Ghana, public-health crises, and the spread of extremist narratives highlighted how polluted information destabilised communities and eroded confidence in legitimate institutions. Infoprations discovered that fragmented studies existed, but there was no integrated, evidence-driven view of how false or harmful content travelled, which actors amplified it, or how citizens responded.
Approach
Through its Research-as-a-Service offering, Infoprations was engaged to design and execute a rigorous diagnostic study. The objective was to provide a clear, actionable picture of drivers, vulnerabilities, and policy gaps across Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal. The research team assembled a multi-source evidence base: academic literature, think-tank papers, fact-checking archives, World Values Survey data, Google Trends, and systematic monitoring of mainstream and social media. The study examined the intersection of information disorder with politics, public health, and violent extremism, ensuring a balanced view of technological, cultural, and institutional factors.
Solution Delivery
A structured analytical framework was developed to map the socio-economic enablers of misinformation, the platforms and channels where polluted content proliferates, and the behavioural and political incentives sustaining it. Cross-country comparisons of search and engagement patterns were performed alongside qualitative assessments of narratives shaping public opinion. Fact-checking verdicts, media monitoring, and regulatory review provided an evidence trail of how unverified claims escalated into societal risk. The final deliverable included a comprehensive report with thematic chapters on electoral disinformation, health-related rumours, and extremist propaganda; typologies of actors and content; and detailed recommendations spanning media literacy, ethical information campaigns, fact-checking infrastructure, and legislative reform.
Impact
The research reframed the conversation on information disorder from isolated “fake news” incidents to a systemic governance and security challenge. The NGO gained an evidence-rich foundation to guide advocacy, programme design, and stakeholder engagement. Policy makers and civil society groups now have:
- empirically grounded insights on how polluted narratives erode democratic trust and feed extremism,
- a clear map of legislative and institutional gaps,
- and practical, locally relevant strategies to build resilience through education, collaboration, and ethical communication practices.
- By turning scattered signals into coherent intelligence, the project shifted responses from ad-hoc rebuttals to proactive information integrity strategies.
Action
Infoprations invites NGOs, civil society organisations, donor agencies, and development partners to leverage our Research-as-a-Service model to illuminate complex challenges in the digital era. We offer:
- Multi-source evidence gathering, from academic literature to real-time social media monitoring, for a 360° view of any thematic issue.
- Custom analytical frameworks tailored to the policy, programmatic, and advocacy needs of clients.
- Actionable insights that translate into clear recommendations for legislation, campaigns, and stakeholder engagement.
- Rapid, reliable delivery enabling partners to move from scattered data to strategic decisions within weeks.
By partnering with Infoprations, organisations gain a trusted intelligence engine that strengthens credibility, informs funding proposals, and equips teams to design evidence-driven interventions across governance, health, security, and social development.
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