The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has urged media organisations to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital innovation without compromising professional ethics and editorial independence.
Idris gave the advice on Thursday, at the unveiling of AI Powered Converged Newsroom, inaugurated by the Media Trust Group in Abuja.
The minister congratulated the organisation’s board, management and the workers for the growth from newspaper publishing into a diversified multimedia enterprise.
He said the integration of print, broadcast and digital platforms reflected the need for innovation in meeting changing audience expectations.
“Technology is fundamentally transforming journalism, creating exciting opportunities through artificial intelligence, data journalism and multimedia storytelling.
“However, innovation must strengthen rather than diminish the professional judgement, ethical standards and human responsibility upon which credible journalism rests,” he said.
Idris reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu administration’s commitment to press freedom, constructive engagement and journalists’ right to scrutinise public institutions.
He also stressed the importance of sustainable media business models in supporting employment, investment and national development.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the minister urged media organisations to prioritise accuracy, fairness and fact-checking while resisting sensationalism and disinformation.
He warned that AI-generated content, manipulated images and deepfakes posed growing threats to public trust.
“The credibility of our democratic process depends, in no small measure, on the integrity of the information available to citizens,” he said.
The minister encouraged Media Trust Group to make its converged newsroom a centre of innovation, investigative excellence and responsible storytelling, noting that journalism could inspire the public while retaining its independence and critical role.
“The idea that journalism has to be exclusively adversarial is a myth that needs to be jettisoned,” he declared.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Barau Jibrin, commended Media Trust Group for its entrepreneurial vision, professionalism and contributions to national development through investment and job creation.
He urged the organisation to sustain its ethical standards and promote national unity.
“What you are doing should always aim at uniting this country,” he said.
In his remarks, Gov. Umar Namadi of Jigawa, congratulated Media Trust as the first in West Africa to establish an AI newsroom.
Namadi described the organisation’s adoption of AI as a “major technological achievement”, noting the growing difficulty of distinguishing authentic content from fabricated images, videos and voices.
He urged the media to prioritise verification and responsible innovation.
Also speaking, Mr Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said the agency’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy supports AI adoption across sectors, including the media, while emphasising that technology should enhance rather than replace human capacity.
He urged journalists to use AI to strengthen verification and public confidence.
“Today, in the era of AI, we want to see you using AI to verify everything,” he said.(NAN)
