The Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Nasarawa State Council has reaffirmed its commitment to upgrade members capacity to be at par with their counterparts around the world through the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in journalism.
Speaking at a one-day training workshop in Lafia the state capital, Chairman of the NUJ Nasarawa State Council, Salihu Muhammad Alkali, described the training as a deliberate step to ensure local journalists remain competitive and credible.
About 80 journalists drawn from all the various chapels in the state participated in the capacity building.
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“The tools we used ten years ago are no longer sufficient,” Artificial Intelligence is no longer science fiction. It is here writing headlines, transcribing interviews, and analyzing datasets. We cannot afford to be spectators; we must be practitioners,” Alkali said.
Enhance Speed and Accuracy
He further emphasised that AI should be used to enhance speed and accuracy: verifying information faster to combat fake news.
The Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule represented by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, commended the Council for its foresight in organising the session.
He described AI as a two-edged sword, highlighting both its immense potential and its inherent risks.
He noted that while AI can automate routine tasks and process data with unprecedented speed, the human element remained the commander of the technology.
“AI is about garbage-in, garbage-out,” you are the one directing it to produce the result you want. If you use it positively, you will get positive results,” Sule noted.
He said that the training aligns with the administration’s broader vision to keep Nasarawa citizens at the forefront of global technological trends.
He revealed that just last week, the state government, in collaboration with the Content Development and Monitoring Board, completed training for 100 youths in AI and data analytics.
“This tells you that His Excellency is already ahead of other states regarding AI because he recognises its importance to the growth of the state,” Ahemba said.
Also, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Hadiza Dahiru, represented by the Director of Information Culture and Tourism, Musa Abdullahi Ogoshi, and Media Chief Executives, urged journalists to maintain ethical standards and social responsibility.
Various resource persons spoke on various topics among which are: The Transformative impact of AI on Modern Journalism, Understanding Solution Journalism, A New Trend in Reporting Practice and The Journalist and the coverage of Elections in a Multi Party Democracy: catching up with the New Media.
They noted that with the rising political tension across the state, there was a need for the media to use their platforms to douse tension and practice responsible journalism.
Participants at the workshop, Esther Enna of Precious FM Lafia, Abubakar Abdullahi of Daily Trust and Charity Ashiki of NTA appreciate the NUJ chairman for the training.
