As part of efforts aimed at building resilient, digitally literate media ecosystem across the country’s universities, members of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), in partnership with the Association of Communication Scholars and Practitioners of Nigeria (ACSPN), hosted the second regional edition of its Artificial Intelligence AI in universities workshop in Lagos as part of Nigeria AI collective initiative.

Themed, ‘Mainstreaming AI in Media Education: Reimagining Journalism and Communication,’ the two-day workshop brought together 29 lecturers from 26 institutions of higher learning in southern part of the country, equipping them with knowledge, tools, and frameworks to mainstream AI into journalism, communication, and media education.

Funded by Luminate, the southern edition builds on a successful northern workshop held in Abuja in November 2024, where 50 lecturers from 21 universities were trained.

Together, the dual interventions are part of CJID’s work as a core member of the Nigerian AI Collective, a multi-stakeholder platform supporting sectoral AI adoption and local talent development.

Participants engaged in collaborative sessions to co-create teaching strategies that demystify AI for teaching and learning; explore emerging AI tools relevant to communication fields, and shared approaches to embed AI literacy into core modules. There was focus on aligning these efforts with the national call for innovation in higher education.

They also interrogated themes around, Basics of generative AI and its implications for media; Opportunities and risks of AI adoption in the classroom; AI-powered teaching tools and research methodologies; Thought leadership, funding, and career advancement in the AI era; A collaborative exercise reviewing the Draft Guidelines for Integrating AI into Journalism and Communication Curriculum.

There was a panel session moderated by Kayode Okikiolu of Channels TV on the theme, ‘Assessing the Impact of AI on Nigeria’s Education Sector.’
This was followed by a hands-on session by the Innovation Lead at CJID, Monsur Hussain, titled, ‘AI 101 and Practical Demonstration: Understanding How AI Works and Its Application in Journalism & Communications.’

Ayantola Alayande from the Global Centre on AI Governance, Oxford, spoke on, ‘How to Use AI in Your Workplace, highlighting tools and approaches for modern communication environments.’

Head of Digital Transformation at Sheffield Business School, Prof. Seun Kolade, delivered a lecture on ‘Innovative Teaching Strategies and Enhancing Student Learning with AI.’ He offered practical insights into using AI as a communication tool in the classroom.

ACSPN President, Prof. Rotimi Olatunji, commended the partnership and emphasised role of educators in shaping responsible AI literacy. To him, “as scholars and practitioners, we cannot be left behind. Our classrooms must prepare students not just for today, but for the complex, data-driven future ahead.”

He also expressed hope that “extending this valuable, targeted training on the use of AI for research, data analysis, and innovative teaching methodologies to our colleagues in the Southern part of the country will empower journalism and mass communication academics and professionals to thrive in an increasingly digital landscape.”

CJID Executive Director, Akintunde Babatunde, noted, “we are proud to bring this second workshop to the southern region. We deeply appreciate the support of Luminate and the Nigerian AI Collective partners, as this initiative advances Nigeria’s AI strategy on sector adoption and talent development.”

Speaking further, he added, “we worked hard in supporting the unbundling of the Mass Communication curriculum. In 2017, we launched our Campus Journalism Initiative, which has helped students transition from campus to newsrooms like the BBC, PREMIUM TIMES, and Punch. For us, we have always believed that the classroom must keep pace with the world it prepares students for.”

The workshop encouraged peer learning and South-South knowledge exchange, emphasising replication and adaptation. After the training, participating institutions will be encouraged to extend the learning within their departments.

The capacity building is part of the broader Nigeria AI Collective intervention, a national consortium dedicated to promoting an inclusive, people-centred, and ethically grounded approach to AI adoption across sectors. The Collective envisions a future where African societies are not just consumers of AI technologies, but active participants in shaping how they are developed and applied, beginning with education.

As the implementing organisation, CJID brings deep experience in journalism innovation, civic technology, and evidence-based policy engagement to this effort. The AI integration workshop in media and communication education is one of several interventions being led under the Nigeria AI Collective, alongside storytelling fellowships for journalists on AI and tech accountability, research on media framing and AI narratives in African newsrooms, targeted capacity-building for civil society actors on AI governance and advocacy, and the development of an accessible handbook aimed at broadening public understanding of artificial intelligence.

CJID also announced plans to launch a research funding opportunity for Nigerian media educators, encouraging further exploration into AI and its intersections with education, policy, media practice, and ethics. The workshop will also yield a refined white paper based on participant contributions, to serve as a national reference point for curriculum integration.

The AI in Universities initiative is part of CJID’s broader push to build a resilient, digitally literate media ecosystem across Africa, one that adapts to innovation without leaving institutions, educators, or students behind.