Lagos, Nigeria – 23rd July 2025
As part of efforts to mainstream Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy across Nigeria’s media and communication education system, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) is set to host a capacity-building workshop for journalism and communication lecturers and professionals in the Southern region of Nigeria under the Nigeria AI Collective portfolio.
Artificial Intelligence continues to influence how information is created, disseminated, and consumed, as it presents great opportunities and urgent questions in Communication, particularly journalism, public relations, and marketing. However, despite this growing relevance, many Nigerian institutions have yet to integrate AI meaningfully into teaching and learning. In light of this, the Nigeria AI Collective, a multi-stakeholder consortium that fosters ethical, inclusive, and locally relevant AI ecosystems in Nigeria, recognises the critical role of educators in shaping future-ready graduates. This workshop is part of a broader strategy to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and classroom instruction, particularly in disciplines where media and society intersect.
Reflecting on this initiative, Akintunde Babatunde, Executive Director at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), noted:
“Generative AI is reshaping the media, journalism, and communication professions at an unprecedented pace, making it imperative for academic instruction to align with evolving industry practices. This workshop, hosted by CJID in partnership with the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN), is part of our commitment to bridging that gap.”
The first iteration of the workshop, held in 2024 in Abuja, brought together 40 journalism lecturers from 21 institutions across Northern Nigeria in collaboration with the Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN). The two-day workshop introduced participants to foundational AI concepts, explored ethical considerations, and featured practical training on AI’s growing role in news production, audience engagement, and campaign communication. Participants also developed teaching strategies around machine learning, data ethics, automated storytelling, and digital media verification, drawing from both local case studies and global trends. One of the workshop’s key outputs was a revised AI integration guide tailored to Nigerian communication departments.
According to ACSPN President, Professor Rotimi Olatunji, the initiative continues to shape the professional and academic growth of its beneficiaries: “This training programme was held for our colleagues in the three geopolitical zones in Northern Nigeria, including the FCT, a programme that continues to positively impact the academic and professional competences of the initial beneficiaries, based on our feedback mechanisms.”Building on that momentum, the workshop on 23rd and 24th July 2025 extends to Nigeria’s southern region and targets scholars and professionals from institutions across the region. Commenting on this extension, Akintunde noted that “We are proud to bring this second workshop to the southern region. We deeply appreciate the support of Luminate and the Nigerian AI Collective partners, as this initiative advances Nigeria’s AI strategy on sector adoption and talent development.” Participants will engage in collaborative sessions to co-create teaching strategies that demystify AI for teaching and learning, explore emerging AI tools relevant to communication fields, and share approaches to embed AI literacy into core modules. There will also be a focus on aligning these efforts with the national call for innovation in higher education.
Highlighting the significance of expanding the training to the Southern region, Professor Olatunji also expressed hope that “extending this valuable, targeted training on the use of AI for research, data analysis, and innovative teaching methodologies to our colleagues in the Southern part of the country will empower journalism and mass communication academics and professionals to thrive in an increasingly digital landscape.”
The workshop will expand on the structure of the first iteration to include updated content reflecting recent advancements in generative AI, multimedia automation, and data governance. Designed to strengthen the capacity of communication and journalism educators and professionals, the sessions will be led by expert facilitators and focus on emerging AI trends relevant to the media and communication sectors. Participants will be exposed to practical teaching strategies for embedding critical topics such as AI ethics, algorithmic bias, and data privacy into their curricula. Through hands-on case studies, attendees will explore AI tools that support content generation, campaign planning, and media monitoring. Group activities will also be organised to revise and localise curriculum modules, ensuring that they reflect the context and priorities of institutions in the South. Importantly, the workshop will encourage peer learning and South-South knowledge exchange, emphasising replication and adaptation. After the training, participating institutions will be encouraged to extend the learning within their departments.
This capacity building is part of the broader Nigeria AI Collective intervention, a national consortium dedicated to promoting an inclusive, people-centred, and ethically grounded approach to AI adoption across sectors. The Collective envisions a future where African societies are not just consumers of AI technologies, but active participants in shaping how they are developed and applied, beginning with education.
As the implementing organisation, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) brings deep experience in journalism innovation, civic technology, and evidence-based policy engagement to this effort. The AI integration workshop in media and communication education is one of several interventions being led under the Nigeria AI Collective, alongside storytelling fellowships for journalists on AI and tech accountability, research on media framing and AI narratives in African newsrooms, targeted capacity-building for civil society actors on AI governance and advocacy, and the development of an accessible handbook aimed at broadening public understanding of artificial intelligence.
As global discussions around AI continue to gain momentum, the Nigeria AI Collective is committed to ensuring that Nigerian institutions are equipped to engage meaningfully with this transformative technology.
