Stakeholders in Nigeria’s media industry are calling for collaboration with the government to develop a comprehensive mass communication policy that defines professional standards, ethical boundaries, and journalism’s role in national development.
The call is led by Professor Michael Ukonu, Head of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, during a two-day workshop organised by the State House Press Corps in Enugu State. The workshop, titled “Artificial Intelligence (AI) Utilisation for Effective Journalism,” brings together journalists and media scholars to explore AI’s impact on the profession.
Professor Ukonu warns that without a formal policy framework, media professionals risk allowing technology and market forces to distort the core values of journalism.
“We must not be passive recipients of technology’s impact. We must actively shape the future of journalism through policy, ethics, and professional identity,” he says.
In his paper “Journalism in the Age of AI: Ethical Boundaries, National Development, and the Fight for Professional Identity,” Ukonu argues that AI’s growing influence on news production demands urgent regulatory and ethical responses.
He describes the profession as being at a “pivotal moment,” with AI already mainstream in global journalism, and emphasises the need to first redefine core professional questions.
“Before we even bring technology into the equation, we have to ask ourselves: Who is a journalist? What is the function of journalism in society? These questions are at the heart of the challenges we face,” he notes.
Ukonu says the democratisation of media platforms and the rise of citizen journalism have further blurred traditional boundaries, necessitating firm professional standards.
“The government and media stakeholders must come together to develop a mass communication policy that defines professional standards, ethical boundaries, and the role of journalism in national development,” he declares. “Without such a policy, we risk allowing technology and market forces to undermine our profession and its societal function.”
Reflecting on past technological transformations—from the printing press to the internet—he cautions against treating AI as a substitute for the human role in journalism.
“Technology has always been an assist, not a replacement for our function. We must distinguish between the medium and the message, even as AI blurs those lines,” he explains.
Citing recent research across Nigeria, Ukonu notes that while journalists show strong awareness of AI, actual adoption remains moderate due to infrastructural gaps and limited training.
“There is a clear call from the profession for training programmes, regulatory frameworks, and curriculum updates. The State House Press Corps workshop is a timely response to these needs,” he says.
He acknowledges the benefits of AI tools in journalism—automated content creation, trend analysis, and news personalisation—but stresses that such tools should enhance, not replace, human judgment.
“AI can help with research, fact-checking, and grammar, but it cannot provide the perspective, context, and ethical discernment that only journalists bring,” Ukonu says.
Also speaking at the workshop, Chukwuma Mgboji, Principal Systems Analyst at the UNN ICT Unit and lecturer in the Department of Computer and Robotics Education, urged journalists to invest in full versions of AI tools.
“Every AI tool you want to maximise, please escape the free version. Get the paid version,” he says. “In Africa, we don’t like paying for software. So you know what they give us? They give you the junk.”
Mgboji says journalists must view paid AI tools as critical investments in productivity and relevance within a fast-evolving digital newsroom.
Enugu Positions as Digital Hub with Smart Infrastructure
The workshop also features a tour of Enugu State’s technology-focused development projects, showcasing efforts by Governor Peter Mbah’s administration to reposition the state as a digital hub.
The State House Press Corps, led by the Governor’s media aide, Uche Anichukwu, visits the government’s flagship Smart Green Schools initiative. These schools, located in all 260 wards across 17 local government areas, are designed to foster critical thinking through tech-enabled classrooms.
At the historic Government Technical College (GTC), the delegation observes ongoing upgrades that merge vocational training with digital innovation. A smart school built on the site now accommodates 1,500 students, offering a TVET-aligned curriculum.
Other infrastructure projects toured include the state-owned asphalt plant with a 160-tonne hourly capacity, the 24.7-hectare Ogbe Ede Market, and a newly developed Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) station backed by a $6 million investment.
Enugu State also takes delivery of 2,000 hybrid buses and 20 electric vehicles, in line with its sustainable transport agenda.
The administration’s efforts—spanning e-governance platforms, digital infrastructure, and economic diversification—form part of a broader ambition to transform Enugu into a $30 billion digital economy within eight years.
PIAK