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, but will displace those who fail to adapt.
Abas made the statement on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, in Ibadan during the opening of a two-day training workshop organised by the Oyo State Council in partnership with the American Open University, Nigeria. The programme, titled “Empowering Journalists with Artificial Intelligence for Ethical, Innovative and Future-ready Journalism,” is training 120 journalists on practical AI tools and applications for modern reporting.
According to Abas, a journalist equipped with digital and AI competencies is not a liability to national development but a valuable strategic partner in nation-building. He explained that AI proficiency would enable journalists to diversify their roles beyond traditional newsrooms.
“With AI competence, journalists can become media consultants, offering data analysis, content strategy, and communication advisory services to governments, institutions, and the private sector,” Abas said. “They can establish media and technology startups, fact-checking platforms, local data hubs, investigative journalism labs, digital storytelling studios, and AI-assisted news platforms tailored to niche audiences.”
He further noted that trained journalists could serve as policy advisors and public communication experts, providing research-based insights, public engagement strategies, and evidence-driven narratives to government agencies, legislators, and development institutions.
The NUJ chairman described the training as a deliberate capacity-building initiative, not charity. “This vision aligns squarely with Nigeria’s Digital Economy Agenda, which prioritises digital skills, innovation, entrepreneurship, and human capital development as drivers of national growth,” he said.
Abas emphasised that as Nigeria transitions toward a knowledge-based economy, journalists must be included in the transformation. “During our electioneering campaign, we promised to move beyond symbolic leadership to policy-driven unionism, pledging to equip our members with skills that translate into relevance, sustainability, and dignity in a changing economy,” he recalled.
He described the current training of 120 journalists as a direct fulfilment of that campaign promise. “AI will not replace journalists; it will only replace journalists who refuse to learn,” Abas asserted.
The chairman urged participants to shift from routine reporting to more analytical and solution-oriented journalism. “Move beyond surface-level stories. Interrogate data, interpret policies, and enlighten citizens in ways that strengthen democracy and accountability,” he advised.
The workshop, which runs for two days, features sessions on ethical AI use, AI tools for fact-checking, data journalism, content generation, investigative research, and digital storytelling. Facilitators from the American Open University, Nigeria, are leading the practical training.
The initiative reflects the NUJ Oyo State Council’s commitment to repositioning journalists for relevance in an AI-driven media landscape, ensuring they remain vital contributors to informed public discourse and national development.
