Prof. Omoniyi Akinola to Deliver Keynote at GOMEP-NG 2026 Annual Conference
Reported By Facthabournews
Professor Omoniyi Bukola Akinola, PhD, has been announced as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Annual Conference, Lecture and Workshop of the Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria, GOMEP-NG.
The annual gathering is scheduled to take place on Thursday, November 26, 2026, at the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development in Abuja. The venue is located opposite the headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Proceedings are expected to commence at 10:00 a.m.
The organisers have chosen the theme, “Securing Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: The Role of Online Media in Information Integrity, Public Trust and Democratic Resilience.”
The theme places particular attention on the responsibilities of online media as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, with emphasis on the quality of information available to citizens, public confidence in media reports and the ability of democratic institutions and citizens to withstand misinformation and other information-related challenges.
Professor Akinola is a legal scholar and practicing lawyer whose academic and professional career has focused extensively on legal ethics, company law and corporate governance. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Private and Commercial Law at the Faculty of Law, Baze University, Abuja.
At Baze University, he teaches Company Law at the undergraduate level, while his postgraduate teaching areas include International Commercial Arbitration and International Maritime Law.
Beyond his academic responsibilities, Akinola is also a practicing legal practitioner and Principal Partner of Advocates Alliance LP, Abuja.
His academic career began with his undergraduate legal education at the University of Ilorin, where he obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree in 2003. He subsequently earned a Master of Laws degree from Abia State University, Uturu, in 2007.
In 2014, he obtained a PhD in Advanced Comparative Company Law from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. His academic training has contributed to his work in areas involving legal practice, professional ethics, corporate governance and comparative company law.
Akinola has also had extensive experience within the Nigerian legal education system. Between October 2015 and September 2019, he served as Deputy Director of Academics at the Nigerian Law School and Acting Head of the Department of Professional Ethics and Legal Skills.
His involvement with legal education predates that appointment. Between 2008 and 2009, he was part of a team of experts involved in drafting the Professional Ethics and Company Law curriculum for the Nigerian Law School.
He also served as Law Clinic Coordinator between 2013 and 2019, giving him experience in both academic administration and practical legal education.
Throughout his career, the professor has occupied a number of academic leadership positions in Nigeria and beyond.
He previously served as Head of the Department of Private and Property Law at Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State. He later became Dean of the Faculty of Law at Redeemer’s University, Ede, a position he held from 2021 to 2023.
Between 2023 and 2024, he served as Professor and Dean of the School of Law at Kampala International University in Uganda.
His experience has also extended to the development of legal education programmes. Akinola served as a consultant in the preparation of the curriculum for Nigerian Legal System I at Miva Open University, Abuja.
The professor’s academic work has also included editorial responsibilities. He is identified as the Editor-in-Chief of the African Journal of Law, Ethics and Education and the African Journal of Legal Research.
According to his biography, he has contributed extensively to legal scholarship through books, monographs, scholarly journal articles and book chapters, with more than 200 publications attributed to him.
His selection as keynote speaker comes as online media organisations and publishers continue to confront questions about the accuracy, speed and credibility of information circulating across digital platforms.
The 2027 general elections are expected to generate significant demand for political information from Nigerians, while online platforms are likely to remain important channels through which citizens receive election-related news, statements from political actors and information about electoral processes.
Against this background, the conference theme seeks to examine how online media can contribute to a more informed electorate and strengthen public confidence in credible information.
Information integrity is expected to be one of the central issues at the conference. For online publishers, maintaining accuracy and properly verifying information before publication can be particularly important during election periods, when false or misleading reports can spread rapidly across social media and other digital platforms.
The conference is also expected to examine the relationship between responsible journalism and public trust. Online news organisations increasingly serve audiences that obtain information through websites, social media platforms, messaging applications and other digital channels.
For publishers and editors, this creates both opportunities and responsibilities. While digital platforms make it possible to distribute information to large audiences almost instantly, they also create challenges relating to verification, context, corrections and the distinction between legitimate journalism and unverified claims.
The theme’s reference to democratic resilience also places online media within the wider conversation about the ability of democratic institutions and citizens to respond to challenges affecting electoral processes.
GOMEP-NG’s decision to bring together online media editors and publishers for the 2026 conference is therefore expected to provide an opportunity for discussions around professional standards, information management and the responsibilities of digital publishers ahead of the 2027 elections.
The conference will combine a keynote lecture with other activities, including lectures and a workshop. The programme is expected to bring together members of the online media community and other stakeholders interested in journalism, digital communication and Nigeria’s democratic process.
The choice of Akinola as keynote speaker also brings a legal and academic perspective to the conference, particularly given his background in legal ethics, corporate governance, professional education and legal scholarship.
His experience in professional ethics and legal education could provide a foundation for discussions about responsibility, accountability and professional standards in the digital media environment.
As Nigeria prepares for another election cycle, online publishers will continue to play a significant role in determining how political information reaches the public. News websites and digital platforms can provide citizens with information about candidates, policies, electoral procedures and developments during campaigns and elections.
At the same time, online media organisations face the challenge of ensuring that the pressure to publish quickly does not compromise accuracy.
The GOMEP-NG conference is consequently positioned as a platform for members of the online media industry to examine these issues and discuss approaches that could support responsible information dissemination.
The event is scheduled to hold from 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 26, 2026, at the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, Abuja.
The announcement of Professor Akinola as keynote speaker was contained in a statement issued by Tochukwu Eluwa, National Publicity Secretary of GOMEP-NG, and dated September 29, 2026.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the conference is expected to attract attention from stakeholders interested in the intersection between digital journalism, information integrity and democratic participation.
The organisers’ focus on public trust also highlights the importance of credibility in an increasingly digital information environment. For online publishers, maintaining transparent editorial practices, correcting errors when identified and distinguishing verified information from unconfirmed claims can be central to building and maintaining audience confidence.
The conference theme therefore goes beyond the coverage of elections themselves. It addresses the broader role of digital media in shaping the information environment in which citizens make decisions and participate in democratic activities.
As the November 26 event approaches, attention will be focused on the keynote address by Professor Omoniyi Bukola Akinola and the discussions that will emerge from the conference, lecture and workshop.
The gathering is expected to provide an avenue for online media editors and publishers to reflect on their responsibilities ahead of the 2027 elections and consider practical ways of promoting accurate information, public confidence and responsible digital journalism.
SEO Title: Prof. Omoniyi Akinola to Deliver Keynote at GOMEP-NG 2026 Conference
Meta Description: Professor Omoniyi Bukola Akinola will deliver the keynote address at the GOMEP-NG 2026 Annual Conference in Abuja on November 26.
Suggested URL Slug: prof-omoniyi-akinola-keynote-gomep-ng-2026-conference
Focus Keywords: Prof Omoniyi Akinola, GOMEP-NG 2026 conference, GOMEP-NG, online media Nigeria, 2027 elections, information integrity, public trust, democratic resilience, Abuja conference, Nigerian online publishers
