Press freedom: AI under scrutiny as N’Assembly, media executives discuss future of journalism

The intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and press freedom took centre stage on Friday as the National Assembly, legal experts and media professionals gathered in Abuja to mark World Press Freedom Day, 2025.  The event, hosted by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), explored the opportunities […]

The intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and press freedom took centre stage on Friday as the National Assembly, legal experts and media professionals gathered in Abuja to mark World Press Freedom Day, 2025. 

The event, hosted by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), explored the opportunities and threats posed by AI to journalism under the theme: “Reporting in the Brave New World.”

The one day event brought together journalists, media executives, civil society organisations, AI specialists and other key stakeholders to explore AI’s dual impact on journalism.

The executive director of the CJID, Akintunde Babatunde, said the event served as a rallying point for calls to establish a robust legal and ethical framework for AI in Nigeria’s media landscape as it increasingly influences how news is gathered, produced and consumed.

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Speaking at the event, Rep Akintunde Rotimi Jr, the spokesperson of the House of Representatives, revealed that the National Assembly was already working on a bill to regulate AI development and deployment in Nigeria.

“I have sponsored a bill to ensure that AI development is rooted in ethics and protects privacy, human rights and national security. We also plan to launch a Legislative Network for Open Parliament and Press Freedom to bridge the gap between lawmakers and the media,” Rotimi said.

He emphasised the need for proactive legislation to guide AI use, especially in a volatile information space where misinformation can have dangerous consequences.

Kayode Okikiolu of Channels TV, who moderated one of the panels, said AI was redefining journalism, not replacing it, but journalists must use it responsibly.

“From generating story drafts to data analysis, AI is helping journalists work faster and smarter, but we must use it responsibly,” he said.

The panel discussion centered on whether audiences can still trust news content if they don’t know whether it is written by humans or machines.

For Ahmad Shekarau, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Media Trust Group Limited, transparency is the foundation of public trust and AI must not erode that. He said media organisations must clearly indicate when AI tools are used in news gathering or content creation.

“Trust is the currency of journalism, and we are dangerously close to devaluing it if we hide behind machines,” Shekarau warned.

He urged journalists to adapt quickly but ethically, noting that failure to do so could permanently damage credibility and public confidence in the media.

In a keynote delivered by the Director Press on behalf of the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved funding for the establishment of the UNESCO Category 2 International Media and Information Literacy Institute to be sited at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

The institute, officials said, would serve as a global hub for countering disinformation and strengthening media literacy, a move they described as timely given the rise of AI-driven misinformation.