The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has assured Nigerian journalists that they were working towards developing “a national policy framework for AI in media, one that promotes innovation while safeguarding press freedom and journalistic integrity.”
Idris gave the assurance at the 2025 World Freedom Press Day organised by KONRAD ADENAUER STIFTUNG (KAS) and the Centre for Innovation Development (CJID) to commemorate the 2025 World Freedom Press Day in Abuja on Friday.
The theme of this year is “Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media.”
The minister, who was represented by the Director, Public Relations and Protocol in the Ministry, Suleiman Haruna, during his keynote address, said “this is in line between human and AI-generated content is becoming increasingly blurry, raising questions about transparency, accountability, and bias in reporting.”
He said newsrooms were increasingly disclosing when AI was used in content creation, as evidenced by cases where media outlets used AI without proper disclosure.
Also, the Resident Representative KAS, Marija Peran, said “in this era where artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly shapes our world, we are confronted with novel challenges and opportunities.”
She said the AI possessed the potential to fundamentally transform the manner in which “we gather, process, and disseminate information.”
According to her, it can empower journalists to work with greater speed and efficiency, yet it also introduces risks that may imperil press freedom.
Also, the Chairman, House Committee on Media, Akintunde Rotimi Jr., said the 10th House of Representatives, under the visionary leadership of Rt. Hon. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, “remains resolutely committed to transparency, public engagement, and high ethical standards as laid out in Agenda 6 of our Legislative Agenda, which emphasises Inclusion and Open Parliament.”
“As part of this endeavor, I have personally sponsored “A Bill to Regulate the Development, Deployment, and Use of Artificial Intelligence in Nigeria,” which seeks to safeguard privacy, human rights, safety, and accountability in the use of AI.
“This bill is part of a broader legislative push to align Nigeria’s digital transformation with international best practices, including the UNESCO Guidelines for AI Ethics and the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy (2020-2030),” he said.