NIGERIA: AI Will Only Replace Journalists Who Refuse to Learn – NUJ Oyo Chairman

By Onoja Baba Nigeria 

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Comrade Akeem Abas, has declared that Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses no threat to journalists who continuously update their digital skills, insisting that AI will only replace those who refuse to adapt and learn.

Abas made the assertion on Wednesday in Ibadan while declaring open a two-day training workshop titled “Empowering Journalists with Artificial Intelligence for Ethical, Innovative and Future-ready Journalism.”

The programme was organised by the Oyo State NUJ Council in partnership with the American Open University, Nigeria.

According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Abas emphasised that a digitally empowered journalist is not a liability to national development but a strategic ally in nation-building.

He argued that AI competence would enable journalists to evolve beyond traditional reporting into high-value roles such as media consultants offering data analysis, content strategy, and communication advisory services to governments, institutions, and private sector players.

“Journalists can build media and technology startups, fact-checking platforms, local data hubs, investigative journalism labs, digital storytelling studios, and AI-assisted news platforms that serve niche audiences,” Abas said.

“They can also function as policy advisors and public communication experts, supporting government agencies, legislators, and development institutions with research-based insights, public engagement strategies, and evidence-driven narratives,” he added.

He described the training of 120 journalists as a deliberate capacity-building effort aligned with Nigeria’s Digital Economy Agenda, which prioritises digital skills, innovation, entrepreneurship, and human capital development. Abas reiterated his campaign promise to shift from symbolic leadership to policy-driven unionism, equipping members for relevance, sustainability, and dignity in a changing media landscape.

“This training is a direct fulfilment of that promise. AI will not replace journalists; it will only replace journalists who refuse to learn,” he stated firmly.

The NUJ chairman urged participants to transition from routine reporting to analytical and solution-oriented journalism, interrogating data, interpreting policies, and enlightening citizens to strengthen democracy and accountability.

He called on policymakers and stakeholders to recognise that investing in journalists is investing in transparency, stability, and informed governance.

“A technologically competent press is not a luxury; it is a national necessity,” Abas added. “Journalism has survived every technological disruption because it adapts without surrendering its soul.

Artificial Intelligence must amplify human judgment, not replace it; it must serve democracy, not undermine it.”

In his remarks, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, welcomed the emergence of AI as a positive development but cautioned about its potential for misuse, including the spread of misinformation.

He highlighted how the Seyi Makinde-led administration has leveraged science and data in governance, citing the digitisation of land transactions in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, which has minimised fraud, blocked financial leakages, and boosted the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to a record N103 billion in 2025, surpassing the combined IGR of the previous two administrations.

Oyelade encouraged journalists to maximise the training for both personal and professional growth and commended the new NUJ executives for organising the workshop within less than two months of assuming office.

Dr Seyi Akanbi, Acting Vice-Chancellor of American Open University, Nigeria, described AI as “a solution only in the hands of good people.” He identified misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda as major threats to journalism and urged participants to deploy AI responsibly for content integrity, social responsibility, professional excellence, innovation, and adaptation.

Akanbi advised journalists to collaborate with organisations such as Google to develop robust fact-checking platforms for greater accuracy.

The two-day workshop continues on Thursday with practical sessions aimed at equipping journalists with hands-on AI tools

for ethical and innovative reporting.