Researchers and academics in the information integrity space across Africa gathered in Dakar, Senegal over two days to take stock of malign actors and their increasing attempts to hijack the information ecosystem in different countries.
FactSpace West Africa’s sub-editor Gifty Tracy Aminu joined participants at the first Africa Forum of the European Union-funded Countering Foreign Interference (CFI) project. The project discussed ways to strengthen the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) capacities against Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI).
The gathering was also principally to strengthen the EU’s capacity to prevent, deter and counter digital threats in the information space while leveraging the experience and perspectives of frontline workers in Africa’s information integrity space.
Between February 10 and 11, 2026, participants shared in-depth knowledge on countering foreign interference and information manipulation in the different subregions, with varying perspectives from experts from different backgrounds.
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Tracy, joined panellists on February 11 to share perspectives on the topic “Assessing policy responses: what role for independent research?”
“Information manipulation and influence operations in West Africa have become a gold mine for actors who have the aim of weakening democracies and deepening information disorder. With democracies falling back in the sub-Saharan Africa region, I look forward to cross-border and global collaboration, so we can build a resilient and safe space to tackle the menace,” Tracy said.
The programme, organised by the European University Institute-School of Transnational Governance and the European Union Institute for Security Studies, also highlighted the importance of independent research, policies, and cross-border collaboration in tackling FIMI.
It also focused on addressing key obstacles, including limited data access, resource constraints, and the need for shared and tailored methodologies, response mechanisms and policy frameworks by promoting discussion and peer-to-peer exchange.
Other session topics were as follows:
Countering information manipulation while upholding core values.
Research and monitoring of information manipulation in Africa.
Towards common analytical frameworks to investigate information manipulation in Africa.
