The importance of media ethics, self regulation and professionalism in the use of Artificial Intelligence was at the centre of discussions at the 2024 Civic Space Guard Conference organised by Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ). Themed “AI, free press, and civic space: Tools, challenges, and the future of investigative reporting,” the conversation also highlighted journalists’ vital role in upholding democracy, the significance of freedom of expression for fostering public trust, respect for due process and self-regulation within the media given the increasing concerns regarding state security infringing on media rights. The conference brought together experts, journalists, and stakeholders to deliberate on civic space, press freedom, and emerging technologies.
Setting the tone for the conversation in his opening remarks, Olaoluwa Adeleye, Programme Officer at WSCIJ, spoke on the vital role of press freedom and civic space in promoting democratic values. He said the conference is aimed at exploring how journalists’ work influence fundamental rights and how technology impacts civic space. He mentioned that the Civic Space Guard project was launched in 2021 to support journalists in reporting freely and safely. Courtesy of the collaboration with Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and the support of Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the initiative has continued to combat misinformation and provide resources like mental health support, holistic safety training, and awards to promote resilience and excellence in investigative journalism.
In her goodwill message, Anneloes Hoff, Political Secretary, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, described as concerning, the increasing pressure in Nigeria’s civic space as shown by harassment of journalists, arbitrary detentions and other forms of intimidation. She said attacks on investigative journalists do not only pose a threat to individuals but to society. Hoff stated the importance of discussing the future of investigative journalism, role of AI and new technologies aligning with the observance of Global Media and Information Literacy Week.
The first panel session which featured Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Police Force; Hauwa Shaffi Nuhu, Managing Editor, HumAngle; Mojirayo Ogunlana, Executive Director, DiGiCiViC Initiative; Chido Onumah, Coordinator, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) and Nten Ekpang, Editor, Trust TV was themed “Protecting civic space: The intersection of free press, investigative journalism, technology and democracy.” They examined the connections between media freedom, investigative reporting, democratic values, and the influence of artificial intelligence on news media.
Ogunlana highlighted journalists’ crucial role in upholding democracy and building a sustainable society. For her, freedom of expression, which is essential for public engagement, must be valued by society because when people feel that their voices matter, it strengthens their trust in the system. She said as much as media ethics in the era of citizen journalism remains a challenge, the police has not made it easy for the media to operate. Ogunlana urged respect for due process, human rights protection, and an end to arbitrary law enforcement by the police. She affirmed that media regulation is not government’s duty as she called on media organisations to internally self regulate.
According to Onumah, journalism is the only profession protected under the constitution due to its vital role in exposing societal ills and safeguarding democracy. Hence, defending these guardians of civic space should be a priority for everyone. He therefore called for stronger collaboration among civil society organisations, lawyers, and others working to protect civic space in Nigeria, to create a more resilient environment for democratic engagement.
Nuhu explained that nation-building is not solely the media’s duty as she linked the friction between the media, police and public officials to the misconception that journalism is only about blame. The HumAngle Media’s Managing Editor highlighted the media’s role in amplifying grassroots voices as a way to engender a vibrant democracy. She however noted that digital illiteracy and limited access to new technologies at the grassroots pose significant challenges to media growth.
Adejobi described the conference as an opportunity to address misconceptions, particularly the widespread view of the police as oppressive, which has led to officers feeling endangered. Citing the Cybercrime Act 2024 (as amended), he acknowledged conflicting provisions in Nigeria’s legal frameworks but clarified that the Nigeria Police Force neither enacts nor interprets these laws. He said the police deploys legal tools to protect the media and journalists by ridding the profession of individuals who use media and social media tools to bring the profession into disrepute. Adejobi advised Nigerians to acquaint themselves with existing laws rather than act in ignorance. While admitting that some officers of the Force can be overly forceful, the FPRO noted that NPF leadership is actively restructuring the Force to meet up with modern demands and challenges. He added that through the “Catch Them Young” initiative, around 10,000 cadets across police colleges in Nigeria are receiving training in media literacy, civic engagement, and behavioral change as part of their curriculum to build a media and community friendly Police Force.
At the second panel session titled “AI for the future of investigative journalism: Tools, challenges, and opportunities,” panellists acknowledged AI’s challenges. They tasked the Nigerian news media to take advantage of resources at AI’s disposal with humans at the centre to safeguard ethics, accuracy and journalistic integrity. The session featured Motunrayo Alaka, ED/CEO, WSCIJ; Monsur Hussain, Head of Innovation, CJID; and Nkem Agunwa, Programme Manager, Africa, WITNESS as panellists with Kimberly Nwachukwu, Broadcast Journalist, Nigeria Info 95.1, Abuja moderating the session.
Hussain explained how new technologies are transforming investigative journalism by enhancing fact-checking, data collection, and analysis. He urged media organisations to understand AI’s evolving dynamics to fully harness its potential. Hussain emphasised that humans must remain central, actively deciding which AI-generated information to use. He called on journalists to rethink claim sourcing and better serve their audiences in this AI-driven landscape.
On her part, Agunwa highlighted privacy breaches, data inaccuracies, and misinterpretations due to lack of context as key challenges facing AI use. She urged stakeholders to advocate for AI’s adaptation to reflect global realities beyond the Global North while action-oriented discussions targeted at the media, AI developers, users, and policymakers are also vital. Enumerating other AI challenges, the Programme Manager, Africa, WITNESS, noted that content detection should protect, not expose, content creators. She added that AI’s versatility depends largely on users’ prompt-engineering skills, with AI developers increasingly placing the responsibility of verifying accuracy on end-users. She therefore stressed that users must adopt explainable AI models that align with journalism’s ethical standards.
In discussing AI’s impact on investigative journalism, Alaka mentioned that while AI may introduce new tools, the core principles of journalism remain unchanged. She said journalists must adhere to ethical standards of fact-checking and information verification, regardless of the resources available digitally. She said the age of AI is a call to action for journalists to uphold ethical practices and distinguish themselves as professionals by combating deepfakes, fake news, and assaults on the truth. The Executive Director, WSCIJ acknowledged the benefits of AI and chat engines in enhancing resource sharing. However, she cautioned against over-reliance on AI-generated content. Alaka asserted that the future of journalism is inherently local, as AI cannot fully capture or generate local news content. Despite recognising the media’s transition to a mobile-digital future, she appealed for caution against becoming overly sophisticated, which could alienate segments of a diverse audience.
Meanwhile, WSCIJ also publicly presented the 2023 Civic Space Guard Report to participants. Alaka said the report is part of the centre’s commitment to spotlight crucial role of the press and civic actors in protecting civic space. Announcing some of the findings, she explained that the report showed spikes in incidents of civic space infringements during elections while violent infringements were dominant. According to the reports, police and politicians led infringements on journalists and the civic space suggesting a declining civic space, rule of law and democratic values. She said the findings also reflect the multifaceted threats that journalists face in the line of duty as the report highlighted the pressing need for interventions to protect journalists and safeguard the integrity of civic space.
Amongst those present were Dayo Aiyetan, Founder/Executive Director, International Centre for Investigative Reporting; Olanrewaju Aladeitan, Professor of Energy and Natural Resources Law, University of Abuja; Emmanuel Ekwe, Programme Director, Fist Africa; Theophilus Abbah, Programme Director, Daily Trust Foundation; Nsikak Ekere, Communications Associate, Bridgia Africa; Olumide Adetiba, Executive Director/ Board Secretary, Madiba Foundation and Odion Bello, Founder/ Chief Executive Officer, Clearview TV. Others were Murtada Ahmad, Professor, Department of Mass Communication, Nile University; Ronke Ogunleye-Bello, Founder, Fame Foundation; Abdullateef Jos, Publisher, Solacebase; Bisan Habu, Partnership and Grant Manager, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development; Adaora Onyechere, Founder, Gender Strategy Advancement International; mass communications students from Nile University, Abuja and University of Abuja.
