International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into global media ecosystems has transformed journalistic practice and generated significant debate regarding its implications for media systems, particularly in developing countries.
Objective: This paper examines whether Artificial Intelligence constitutes a threat or an opportunity for journalism practice in Nigeria. It seeks to critically evaluate the multidimensional implications of AI adoption within the Nigerian media landscape.
Method: The study adopts a qualitative position paper approach based on the synthesis of existing empirical literature and theoretical perspectives. Drawing on Technological Determinism Theory and Diffusion of Innovations Theory, the paper analyses the opportunities, risks, and structural implications associated with AI integration in Nigerian journalism.
Result:The paper finds that AI presents significant opportunities for Nigerian media practice through automated content production, enhanced data journalism, audience analytics, accelerated fact-checking, and revenue diversification. However, the study also reveals major threats, including job displacement, misinformation amplification, algorithmic bias, widening digital divides, and the erosion of editorial autonomy.
Conclusion:The paper concludes that Artificial Intelligence is neither inherently beneficial nor entirely harmful to journalism practice in Nigeria. Its overall impact depends on deliberate policy choices, institutional adaptation, ethical regulation, and the capacity of media organisations to integrate AI in ways that uphold the public interest function of journalism.
Unique Contribution:This paper contributes to emerging scholarship on AI and journalism in Africa by providing a balanced and context-specific analysis of the opportunities and threats associated with AI adoption in Nigerian media practice. It further contextualises global debates within Nigeria’s socio-political and technological realities.
Key Recommendation: The paper recommends the development of comprehensive AI regulatory frameworks, continuous professional training for journalists, investment in digital infrastructure, ethical guidelines for AI-assisted journalism, and collaborative policy initiatives aimed at ensuring responsible and inclusive AI integration within Nigeria’s media industry.