Nigerian news outlets must embrace innovation, risk to survive digital disruption, says Ex-Daily Trust Editor-in-Chief
Former Daily Trust Editor-in-Chief and media scholar, Naziru Mikail Abubakar, has emphasized that Nigerian news organizations must be willing to take risks and experiment with new ideas if they are to remain viable and discover sustainable digital revenue models. Speaking at the Media Sustainability Conference in Abuja, Abubakar stressed the need for agility in responding […]
Former Daily Trust Editor-in-Chief and media scholar, Naziru Mikail Abubakar, has emphasized that Nigerian news organizations must be willing to take risks and experiment with new ideas if they are to remain viable and discover sustainable digital revenue models.
Speaking at the Media Sustainability Conference in Abuja, Abubakar stressed the need for agility in responding to ongoing digital disruptions in the media industry.
“We need to experiment with innovative ideas and be ready to fail until we get the right revenue models that will lead us to a sustainable future,” he said.
The two-day conference was jointly organized by the Nigeria Media Innovation Programme (NAMIP) and the Daily Trust Foundation, as part of activities marking the conclusion of the NAMIP programme.
During a panel discussion on a research paper on media sustainability—presented by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashere, Professor Umaru Pate—Abubakar urged Nigerian publishers to transform themselves in order to adapt to the evolving realities of their business environments, audiences, and content production and distribution systems, all of which have been significantly disrupted by digital technology.
“The transformation process requires a culture change that should start from the top,” he said, adding that boards of directors and senior management must lead this shift.
He noted that the traditional siloed way of working is no longer viable.
“We need to listen to our audiences and involve them in developing and testing new products. That’s the only way to build communities around our brands, make audiences feel valued, and keep them engaged,” he said.
Abubakar, a former BBC Nigeria editor and current researcher in digital news business and artificial intelligence at the University of Westminster, called on Nigerian publishers to learn from their counterparts in Kenya, who he said are making bold moves in the face of digital disruption.
“My research explores how publishers in Nigeria and Kenya are responding to digital disruptions, particularly through the adoption of new revenue models and the role of tech platforms and AI. Despite Nigeria’s large population and economy, my initial findings suggest that Kenyan publishers are ahead in embracing innovation and taking the necessary risks to build sustainable revenue streams.”
He emphasized that quality journalism, aggressive and creative revenue strategies, and investment in both the newsroom and technology are essential for building a resilient and future-ready media industry.
Other notable speakers at the MacArthur Foundation-sponsored conference included Harlan Mandel, CEO of the Media Development Investment Fund; Catherine Gicheru of the Africa Women Journalism Project; Premium Times Publisher Dapo Olorunyomi; former Daily Trust CEO Mannir Dan-Ali; and Executive Director of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Motunrayo Alaka.