The festive season is usually a time of joy. Families travel across towns and borders, phones buzz with greetings, and social media is filled with laughter, prayers, and goodwill messages. But beneath the celebration, there is a quieter danger growing, one that many Africans are still not paying enough attention to. It is the spread of fake news and deepfakes powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
During festive periods, people are more relaxed, more trusting, and more likely to share information without checking. That is exactly when fake news thrives. A dramatic voice note about an “imminent attack,” a viral video showing a public figure saying something outrageous, or a fake announcement about fuel prices or bank failures can spread in minutes. By the time the truth comes out, the damage has already been done.
Deepfakes make this problem even worse. These are videos, images, or audio recordings created using AI to look and sound real, even when they are completely false. Today, someone with a laptop and internet access can make a video of a governor, pastor, military officer, or traditional ruler saying things they never said. To the average person scrolling through WhatsApp or Facebook, it looks real enough.
In Africa, where trust in institutions is already fragile and social media is the main source of news for millions, this is dangerous territory.
We have seen how rumours can spark panic. We have seen how fake messages can lead to stampedes, mob justice, or ethnic tension. Now imagine those same rumours delivered with convincing faces and voices. Imagine a deepfake video of a respected leader calling for violence, or a fake audio clip announcing a sudden policy change during the holidays when offices are closed and clarification is slow. The consequences could be severe.
The festive season makes things even more complicated. Newsrooms are short-staffed, government offices are running skeletal services, and people are travelling. In that gap, fake content spreads faster than facts. By the time officials respond, the story has already shaped public opinion.
This is why AI governance is no longer a luxury or a topic for conferences and policy papers alone. It is an urgent necessity.
AI governance simply means having clear rules, responsibilities, and safeguards around how AI tools are developed, shared, and used. It means knowing who is accountable when AI is abused. It means protecting citizens without killing innovation.
Right now, many African countries are playing catch-up. While Europe debates AI laws and fines big tech companies, and while other regions invest heavily in detection tools, Africa is mostly reacting after harm has already occurred. This reactive approach is risky.
Nigeria, for instance, is one of the most digitally active countries in the world. Nigerians are creative, vocal, and deeply online. That is a strength. But without strong guardrails, it also makes the country vulnerable. A single fake video can inflame religious tensions. A fake audio note can crash trust in a financial institution. A manipulated image can ruin lives overnight.
AI governance must start with awareness. People need to understand that not everything they see or hear online is real anymore. “Seeing is believing” no longer applies. Schools, religious institutions, and community groups must play a role in teaching basic digital sense: pause, verify, and think before sharing.
Media organisations also have a big responsibility. Fact-checking must be faster and more visible. Newsrooms need training and tools to spot AI-generated content quickly, especially during festive periods when fake stories spike. Collaboration between media houses can help stop dangerous stories from spreading unchecked.
The government, however, cannot sit on the sidelines. Clear laws and guidelines are needed around deepfakes, misinformation, and AI misuse. This does not mean censorship or silencing critics. It means drawing firm lines around impersonation, election interference, incitement, and fraud. When someone knowingly uses AI to deceive the public and cause harm, there must be consequences.
Tech platforms must also be pushed to do more in Africa. Too often, harmful content is taken seriously only after it causes damage in Western countries. African governments and civil society must demand better moderation, faster takedowns, and stronger local language support.
Finally, Africa must invest in its own solutions. We cannot rely entirely on foreign tools to detect fake African voices, faces, and languages. Local researchers, startups, and universities should be supported to build AI systems that understand African contexts and can help protect our information space.
The festive season should be a time of peace, not panic. As AI becomes more powerful, the line between truth and lies will only get thinner. If Africa does not take AI governance seriously now, we may find ourselves constantly reacting to crises that could have been prevented.
Celebration should not come at the cost of confusion. Joy should not be mixed with fear. The time to act is now, before fake voices speak louder than real ones.
