Recognising the transformative potential of new media, Connected Development (CODE), a non-governmental organisation, has launched a $5 million Basket Fund AI Reporting Initiative to support Nigerian journalists.
Great News!
Connected Development (@connected_dev) launches $5,000,000 basket fund/grant to support Media in Nigeria on AI reporting and exploring new opportunities to accelerate development in Health, Education, Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH), Climate Change, Governance… pic.twitter.com/2sF1EN55yg
— Connected Development [CODE] (@Connected_dev) March 25, 2025
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Of Connected Development (CODE), Mr Hamzat Lawal disclosed the initiative at a media dialogue and launch of the AI Reporting Initiative in Abuja.
Mr Lawal said that the initiative clearly reveals Connected Development (CODE) thinking of the power of innovative and cutting-edge technologies in empowering citizens and promoting economic growth and social change in every society.
He also said that CODE acknowledges the explicit powers of the media to not only report news but also to influence, exercise authority, and define the thinking partner of every culture, morality, and course of all civilisations.
“As a result, today’s conversation represents a watershed moment for us as we lay the groundwork for the start of this life-changing journey.
“Furthermore, it provides an excellent opportunity for us to strengthen our relationships with the media, civil society organisations, and technology experts in order to advocate for legislation that ensures AI serves the public interest through transparency, accountability, and inclusion in its implementation.
“Consequently, in keeping with our objective of empowering individuals to seek their rights to a decent level of living, I am pleased to announce to all of you our five-year strategic plan of five million dollars to assist journalists in mobilising Nigerians for this proposed ethical use of AI tools.
“By launching this new project, our organisation intends to encourage the appropriate application of AI to investigate frameworks that reduce risks like algorithmic bias, data privacy issues, and unequal access to public services.
“Additionally, we intend to use the opportunities provided by this project to engage and build the capacity of media professionals, as well as provide them with financial support in the form of seed grants, so that they can investigate and report on AI-driven solutions and challenges in Nigeria’s development landscape.
“This fund will help journalists and communication specialists prioritise the role of AI in providing scalable solutions and speeding up development across CODE’s various thematic focus areas, which include health, education, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), as well as transparency and accountability to address any ethical challenges that may arise during its deployment.”
He noted that whether it is in addressing poverty, expanding access to information and its dissemination, or promoting efficiency and openness in the public and private sectors, AI plays a crucial role.
“We are assembled here today to examine the implications of this contemporary trend for our shared future because the integration of artificial intelligence into human activities has completely changed the world.
“In Nigeria, we have benefitted from the application of AI to address systemic issues in governance, public service delivery, and accountability.
“However, like with any new technology, citizens must grasp the advantages and disadvantages of AI-driven technologies in order to ensure their responsible use.
“CODE has profited greatly from the generosity of these new technologies in communicating with people living in remote corners of our country and beyond, influencing government policy, and helping marginalised groups to live sustainably,” Mr Lawal added.
In his keynote lecture titled “AI in the Media Space, Gaps and Opportunities for Media Practitioners,” Mr. Majeed Dahiru said that AI has gained prominence in recent times due to its capacity to reshape and redefine the very fabric of the media industry.
“AI is here with us and it is fast transforming how we create, distribute and consume information and content. With this evolution however comes the drawbacks, opportunities and benefits of AI.”
Drawbacks /Challenges
- Ethical and data privacy concerns: Personalised content requires data and data collection raises privacy issues, striking a balance between personalised and ethical data use is therefore crucial.
- Job displacement concerns: A growing concern is that AI will replace human jobs, from journalists to video editors, while AI is a tool, not a replacement, concerns remain.
- Misinformation and deepfakes: “AI can create convincing fake news and deepfake videos, in a world where media shapes opinion, this is dangerous and there’s a need to ensure that truth prevails,” he said.
He also encouraged media practitioners to flow with the trend by embracing AI.
Mr. Dahiru however cautioned journalists about the biases and ethics of the profession.
“AI learns from data- and if the data is biased, the output will be too. Biased AI in the media can reinforce harmful stereotypes and misinformation.”
Over reliance on automation
“AI can streamline processes but over reliance may dilute creativity. Media thrives on human emotions and authentic storytelling, things AI can’t replicate,” he said.
He stressed that rather than being concerned about the downside of AI, media professionals must embrace it.
He listed the benefits of AI to include; Increased efficiency and productivity.
Embracing artificial intelligence is essential for the future because it offers transformative benefits across nearly every aspect of life and work.
AI can automate repetitive tasks, analyse large datasets quickly and optimise processes, freeing up human time.
Content creation and automation
“AI tools can generate articles, social media posts, video summaries and even scripts, speeding up content production without sacrificing quality
It allows media companies to cover more stories faster, keeping up with the rapid news cycle.”
The event-themed “Exploring New Media Opportunities to Accelerate Development” brought together media practitioners from different fields to interact on AI Reporting.
Comments are closed.