Editorial AI Integration in Developing Newsrooms Evidence from Nigerian Newspapers
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming journalism practices globally, yet empirical evidence regarding its integration in developing-country newsrooms remains limited. This study examines the integration of AI in editorial operations within Nigerian newspaper organizations, focusing on its contributions to editorial efficiency, patterns of adoption, and barriers to implementation. Guided by Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory, the study employed a mixed-methods research design involving quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Data were collected from journalists working in three major Nigerian newspapers namely Leadership, Daily Trust, and Daily Sun with 141 valid questionnaire responses analyzed alongside in-depth interviews with editorial personnel. The findings reveal that AI integration significantly enhances editorial efficiency and accuracy, particularly in fact-checking (Mean = 3.37), reduction of human errors (Mean = 3.26), and improved news production efficiency (Mean = 3.15). However, AI adoption remains selective and limited primarily to supportive editorial functions, while advanced applications such as real-time automated news generation remain minimally utilized (Mean = 1.58). The study further identifies significant barriers to AI integration, including concerns about reduced journalistic creativity (Mean = 3.05), inadequate funding and infrastructure (Mean = 3.04), fears of job displacement (Mean = 2.99), ethical concerns regarding misinformation and editorial integrity (Mean = 2.92), and insufficient technical expertise (Mean = 2.90). The findings suggest that AI currently functions as an augmentative technology that supports rather than replaces journalists. The study concludes that successful AI integration in developing newsrooms requires strategic investment, continuous professional training, institutional support, and robust ethical governance frameworks to facilitate responsible and sustainable digital transformation in journalism.
Downloads
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
How to Cite
References
Al-Zoubi, O. A., & Ahmad, N. (2024). Contemporary Tasks for Jordanian Journalists in the Era of Artificial Intelligence. Arab Media and Society, 2024-Winter(37). https://doi.org/10.70090/on24ctjj
Amichai-Hamburger, Y., Mentzel Mazler, M., Barazani, A., & Ben-David Kolikant, Y. (2025). When technology meets personality: toward human-centered AI design. In AI and Society. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-025-02720-0
Amigo, L., & Porlezza, C. (2025). “Journalism Will Always Need Journalists.” The Perceived Impact of AI on Journalism Authority in Switzerland. Journalism Practice, 19(10). https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2025.2487534
Amponsah, P. N., & Atianashie, A. M. (2024). Navigating the New Frontier: A Comprehensive Review of AI in Journalism. Advances in Journalism and Communication, 12(01). https://doi.org/10.4236/ajc.2024.121001
Assad, A., Fyadh, M., Kaleel, A., & Gabr, M. (2025). Artificial intelligence in media studies in Arab countries: a systematic review. In Discover Education (Vol. 4, Number 1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00520-8
Ciboh, R., Torwel, V., & Jev, A. A. (2024). Journalism educators’ evaluations of conflict reporting and the imperatives for peace journalism in Nigeria. Media, War and Conflict. https://doi.org/10.1177/17506352241293767
Dovbysh, O. (2020). Automating the News: How Algorithms are Rewriting the Media. Digital Journalism, 8(7). https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2020.1777883
Gbaden, C. J., Gambo, S., & Shem, W. (2024). Challenges and Prospects of Artificial Intelligence in Nigerian Journalism Practice: A Narrative Review. ALSYSTECH Journal of Education Technology, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.58578/alsystech.v2i2.2946
Gondal, N. (2023). Diffusion of innovations through social networks: Determinants and implications. In Sociology Compass (Vol. 17, Number 5). https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.13084
Gutiérrez-Caneda, B., Lindén, C. G., & Vázquez-Herrero, J. (2024). Ethics and journalistic challenges in the age of artificial intelligence: talking with professionals and experts. Frontiers in Communication, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2024.1465178
Headley, M. G., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2020). Multilevel Mixed Methods Research Designs: Advancing a Refined Definition. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689819844417
Heim, S., & Chan-Olmsted, S. (2023). Consumer Trust in AI–Human News Collaborative Continuum: Preferences and Influencing Factors by News Production Phases. Journalism and Media, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia4030061
Izuogu, K. C., Okpara, O., & Omeonu, D. U. (2025). The Paradox of The Internet in Journalism in Nigeria: Between Flexibility and Accuracy Challenges. Baileo: Jurnal Sosial Humaniora, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.30598/baileofisipvol2iss2pp256-267
Jamil, S., & Appiah-Adjei, G. (2023). “Let’s Draw a Line between Dos and Don’ts”: Pakistani Journalists’ Perspectives about the Ethics of Conflict-Sensitive Reporting. Journalism and Media, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia4010013
Lee, J. W. (2024). Diffusion of innovations. In Encyclopedia of Sport Management, Second Edition. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035317189.ch157
Luo, Q., & Zhu, Y. (2025). Application of artificial intelligence in digital media technology education. Journal of Computational Methods in Sciences and Engineering, 25(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/14727978251321636
Malik, H., & Latif, F. (2022). Perceptions of Pakistani Journalists Regarding the Credibility of Social Media. International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.13187/ijmil.2022.2.499
Marconi, F. (2020). Newsmakers: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Journalism. In Columbia University Press.
Morosoli, S., Resendez, V., Naudts, L., Helberger, N., & de Vreese, C. (2025). “I Resist”. A Study of Individual Attitudes Towards Generative AI in Journalism and Acts of Resistance, Risk Perceptions, Trust and Credibility. In Digital Journalism. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2024.2435579
Mulili, B. M., Maina, S. M., & Kinyuru, R. N. (2025). Mixed Methods Research Design Explained. International Journal of Modern Statistics, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.47941/ijms.2694
Nguyen, T. H., Le, X. C., & Vu, T. H. L. (2022). An Extended Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) Framework for Online Retailing Utilization in Digital Transformation: Empirical Evidence from Vietnam. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc8040200
Rosli, N. A. N., & Ahmad, N. (2024). Challenges and Adoption of New Technologies Among Malaysian Journalists. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 40(3). https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2024-4003-17
Santos, F. C. C. (2023). Artificial Intelligence in Automated Detection of Disinformation: A Thematic Analysis. Journalism and Media, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia4020043
Santos-Gonçalves, T. (2024). Local Media in the Age of AI. In Revolutionizing Communication: the Role of Artificial Intelligence. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003473633-12
Sawada, N. (2016). Selecting Those “Worthy” of Remembering: Memorialization in Early Lagos Newspapers. Journal of West African History, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.14321/jwestafrihist.2.2.0079
Scacco, J. M., & Muddiman, A. (2020). The curiosity effect: Information seeking in the contemporary news environment. New Media and Society, 22(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819863408
Schoonenboom, J., & Johnson, R. B. (2017). How to Construct a Mixed Methods Research Design. KZfSS Kölner Zeitschrift Für Soziologie Und Sozialpsychologie, 69(S2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11577-017-0454-1
Sharma, Dr. L. R., Bidari, S., Bidari, D., Neupane, S., & Sapkota, R. (2023). Exploring the Mixed Methods Research Design: Types, Purposes, Strengths, Challenges, and Criticisms. Global Academic Journal of Linguistics and Literature, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.36348/gajll.2023.v05i01.002
Somorin, K., & Ademola, O. E. (2024). Ethical Imperatives in the Era of AI Journalism: Navigating the Intersection of Technology and Responsibility. Advances in Multidisciplinary & Scientific Research Journal Publications, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.22624/aims/humanities/v12n2p4
Talabi, F. O., & Ogundeji, B. K. (2012). Effects of Non-Professionalism in Nigeria Journalism. Journal of Mass Communication and Journalism, 02(07). https://doi.org/10.4172/2165-7912.1000117
Thäsler-Kordonouri, S., & Barling, K. (2025). Automated Journalism in UK Local Newsrooms: Attitudes, Integration, Impact. Journalism Practice, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2023.2184413
Thäsler-Kordonouri, S., & Koliska, M. (2025). Journalistic Agency and Power in the Era of Artificial Intelligence. Journalism Practice, 19(10). https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2025.2480238