A Nigerian based communications and reputation management agency, Carpe Diem Limited, has highlighted the necessity of establishing ethical frameworks for the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within Nigeria’s media sector.
Additionally, it has advocated for specific incentives to address the funding crisis and other obstacles encountered by media professionals and firms.
The agency presented these recommendations in its latest report titled ‘The Future of Media and PR Collaboration in Nigeria’, coinciding with World Press Freedom Day 2026.
This intelligence report is based on feedback from journalists affiliated with 17 media organizations, uncovering five structural insights that challenge the engagement of Nigeria’s communications industry with the press.
The report, named ‘The Future of Media and PR Collaboration in Nigeria’, is grounded in organized feedback from active journalists and media professionals across print, digital, broadcast, and independent platforms in Nigeria, and is supplemented with the latest global data regarding press freedom, institutional trust, AI integration in newsrooms, and media economics.
It was revealed in the report that AI has made its way into Nigerian newsrooms; however, the ethical infrastructure has not evolved correspondingly.
It was noted that most practitioners utilize AI tools for research, editing, transcription, and writing support.
Nevertheless, the report indicates that the concerns of practitioners remain consistent, encompassing issues such as complacency, the decline of originality, and the increasing risk of AI facilitating widespread disinformation.According to the findings, merely 12 percent of global audiences feel at ease with news produced entirely by Artificial Intelligence.
“The funding crisis is the underlying narrative behind the stories. Financial instability is not merely a background issue in Nigerian journalism; it is the fundamental operating reality.
The RSF 2026 World Press Freedom Index, released two days prior to this report, ranks Nigeria 112th out of 180 nations, remaining in the ‘difficult’ category despite a ten-place advancement in 2025.
Social media has transformed distribution without addressing the underlying economic issues. Nigeria’s 107 million internet users constitute a significant audience; however, this audience size has not resulted in sustainable media practices.
Influencers and journalists function within distinct ecosystems rather than competing ones. Professional journalism is characterized by verification, editorial responsibility, and impartiality.
According to the report, influencers are not subject to the same standards.
The report emphasized that the relationship between media and public relations is transactional when it ought to be structural.
It further stated that the most actionable insight from the report is what journalists seek from communications professionals, which includes early engagement, customized pitches that reflect a genuine understanding of their area of expertise, transparency regarding sponsored content, and the establishment of relationships prior to either party requiring assistance from the other.
Edward Israel-Ayide, the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Carpe Diem Solutions Limited, remarked:
“We release this report not as a critique of either sector, but as a sincere assessment of the current state of both and the mutual obligations they have towards one another.”
