In the lead-up to World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has spotlighted the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on journalism by launching a visual brief that calls for the ethical and responsible application of the technology, especially within Nigeria’s rapidly evolving media sector.
The brief, created in line with this year’s global theme, “Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media”, examines both the promise and the peril AI presents to press freedom in Nigeria and globally. According to a statement issued in Lagos by MRA’s Programme Officer, John Gbadamosi, AI is transforming how news is gathered, analysed, and distributed. He highlighted AI’s potential to help journalists translate stories into local languages, better analyse data, and extend information to marginalised communities with limited media infrastructure.
Gbadamosi noted that AI could significantly enhance access to essential information in local settings. However, he also raised serious concerns over its misuse, cautioning that “while AI can be used to advance journalism, it can just as easily be exploited to spread disinformation, create deepfakes, and drown out independent voices with algorithmically generated propaganda.”
He further explained that journalists in Nigeria are not only facing physical threats but are now also grappling with digital, algorithmic, and systemic risks. These new challenges, he said, require media professionals to ensure AI serves as a tool to support press freedom rather than hinder it. “In Nigeria, journalists face threats that go beyond just physical dangers; such threats now also encompass digital, algorithmic, and systemic harms and challenges,” he stated.
The visual brief also defines and explores emerging issues such as misinformation, disinformation, mal-information, and information overload—factors that are increasingly shaping Nigeria’s media landscape. It warns of AI-facilitated surveillance, political manipulation, and the growing marginalisation of grassroots journalists.
In addition to calling for transparent AI regulations tailored to Nigeria’s realities, the brief urges stronger accountability from tech platforms, better support for independent journalism, and expanded digital literacy. Gbadamosi concluded by appealing to all stakeholders to champion responsible AI use and a vibrant, independent media space, stating, “when media freedom thrives, democracy lives.”