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By Correspondent in Abuja.
A Nigerian technology expert, Gunu Usman, has unveiled a new Artificial Intelligence-powered application designed to support the Federal Government’s efforts to combat fake news and misinformation in the country’s rapidly evolving digital space.
The application, named BAT-BOT AI, was launched on Wednesday in Abuja by Usman, founder of LYT24 Technologies, as a civic technology platform aimed at ensuring that verified facts spread faster than falsehood across social media and other digital platforms.
According to the developer, the AI-powered tool was created to help counter misinformation that could influence public perception and political discourse ahead of the 2027 Nigerian general elections, particularly narratives surrounding the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Usman said the rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation, manipulated narratives, deepfakes and hate speech targeting government institutions, political actors and national policies poses a serious threat to democratic stability and public trust.
He explained that BAT-BOT AI was designed as a “sovereign AI-powered civic information and fact-verification platform” that enables citizens to easily access verified information and challenge false claims circulating online.
“In an era where elections are increasingly won or lost in the digital arena, Nigeria is witnessing the emergence of a new kind of political infrastructure, one powered not by billboards or campaign caravans, but by artificial intelligence,” Usman said.
He noted that with more than 100 million Nigerians using smartphones, the real battleground for shaping public opinion, has shifted to digital platforms where information spreads within seconds.
The AI platform is currently accessible through multiple digital channels, including a WhatsApp interface (07055555329), X (Twitter) handle @Bat_botAi, Telegram bot @BolaAhmedTinubuBatBot, and a web-based chat interface at BatBot.ng.
Through these platforms, users can interact with the AI system to verify text, images, videos and voice notes, ask questions about government policies and projects, and receive real-time responses to civic and governance-related inquiries.
Usman added that the system was built to bridge literacy and language gaps by explaining government policies and democratic processes in English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Nigerian Pidgin.
The development team behind the project said Nigeria currently faces what it described as a coordinated digital misinformation challenge, where fake news and conflicting narratives,including those circulating within diaspora communities, are capable of undermining confidence in electoral processes, economic reforms and national security initiatives.
According to Usman, BAT-BOT AI operates as a 24-hour digital civic infrastructure, designed to strengthen the country’s information ecosystem ahead of the 2027 polls.
“It is not a tool for partisan attack but a technology-driven platform that helps citizens access facts, understand governance and participate responsibly in democratic life,” he said.
He added that the system is capable of detecting reused old media, identifying manipulated visuals, flagging misleading or AI-generated deepfakes and providing evidence-based clarification to users.
Usman expressed confidence that the innovation would contribute to strengthening transparency, promoting credible information and deepening democratic engagement in Nigeria’s digital age.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
