AI, Financial Sustainability Key to Journalism’s Future – Ex-Daily Trust Editor-in-Chief

A former Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust Newspaper and media scholar, Naziru Mika’il Abubakar, has said that the survival and credibility of journalism in Nigeria will depend on how well media organisations adapt to artificial intelligence (AI) and develop financially sustainable business models. Abubakar, also a former BBC Nigeria editor and currently a researcher in digital […]

A former Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust Newspaper and media scholar, Naziru Mika’il Abubakar, has said that the survival and credibility of journalism in Nigeria will depend on how well media organisations adapt to artificial intelligence (AI) and develop financially sustainable business models.

Abubakar, also a former BBC Nigeria editor and currently a researcher in digital news business and artificial intelligence at the University of Westminster, stated this during an X (formerly Twitter) Space organised by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations.

Speaking on the topic, “Ethical Standards and Editorial Independence in Journalism Amid Commercial and Political Pressures”, Abubakar said the modern media environment presents growing challenges for editorial independence and sustainability.

“We are operating in a very difficult environment. I had the opportunity of working with the BBC, a public service media where our focus was purely on journalism. We were free to pursue stories without worrying about whether our salaries would be paid or whether we had enough money to send reporters across the world to do stories. We were not bothered about who’s involved in the story or what would happen after the story’s published,” he said.

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“But when I moved to a profit-driven media house, it was a completely different challenge. There were multiple stakeholders to consider. You could be pursuing an investigation, and then the business team would come to say they’re negotiating with a company or government agency involved in your story. That was a huge challenge as a newsroom leader.”

Abubakar explained that the experience revealed how economic realities affect editorial decisions, stressing the need for financial independence and strong internal structures that allow journalists to work without interference.

“The political economy is not favourable to media organisations. Whatever legacy we hope to leave must be a legacy of an independent media, both in terms of editorial and also financial independence. The key question is whether our business models are sustainable in this era of disruption,” he said.

He noted that the rise of artificial intelligence has ushered in a new phase of disruption that journalists must learn to manage responsibly.

“We are now in another phase of disruption with AI. The days of doing journalism without thinking about where the money comes from are gone. We have to think about both content and business at the same time,” he said.

“Corrupt politicians and business people will continue to fight back, but we must build sustainable media businesses that can withstand such pressures and still fund stories worth reading, watching and paying for. Although it is difficult suggest a single model that can serve this, a combination of multiple models can help achieve that.”

On the impact of AI on journalistic practice, Abubakar said that while the technology brought different opportunities, it also raised ethical and operational concerns that media organisations must address proactively.

“The media industry has always faced disruption, from the printing press to radio, television, the internet and now AI. Despite all this, journalism has survived because good content always stands out,” he said.

“In Nigeria, individual journalists are ahead of their organisations in adopting AI tools. Research has shown that while many media houses lack official AI policies, journalists are already using AI independently. That is risky because stories could be edited or written by AI without proper oversight.”

He urged media organisations to create internal policies and training programmes to guide the responsible and ethical use of AI.

“AI is just another tool to help us improve our work. We must understand it to take advantage of its benefits and mitigate its risks. Organisations should identify and empower tech-savvy early adopters in their newsrooms to lead internal AI teams, train colleagues and help management develop ethical frameworks.

“People need to trust AI as a supportive tool, not see it as a replacement. Once that understanding is there, ethical and effective use will follow,” he advised.

The X Space discussion, titled Beyond the Byline: Journalism and Society Conversation, was organised as part of activities marking WSCIJ’s two decades of promoting investigative journalism, ethical reporting and accountability across Nigeria and Africa.

Speaking earlier, the Executive Director/CEO of WSCIJ, Motunrayo Alaka, reiterated the centre’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of journalists through capacity development and ethical practice.

“Journalism is an endeavour that when done in the right way, society improves as a result of our work. At the WSCIJ, we try to build both internal and external capacity to ensure that the next generation of journalists are well equipped.

“If you were working in, say, Unilever, and you were a product designer, you would not get to put your name on your product. But journalism is one place where you get to stick your name on the product. It then puts a burden on both the individual journalist and their institution to ensure that professionalism, ethics, credibility and responsibility are upheld.” she said.