By Tgnews Team
As the world commemorates World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2025, the Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) Hub of the International Press Centre (IPC) in Lagos, Nigeria, has issued an urgent call to action: stakeholders must unite to defend the right to truthful information in an era increasingly dominated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
AI offers powerful tools for media innovation, it also poses unprecedented threats to truth, trust, and transparency—core pillars of a free press
This year’s global theme, “Reporting in the Brave World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media,” underscores the transformative yet perilous role AI plays in reshaping journalism. The IPC-SPJ Hub warns that while AI offers powerful tools for media innovation, it also poses unprecedented threats to truth, trust, and transparency—core pillars of a free press.
In a statement released ahead of its WPFD 2025 event, the IPC-SPJ Hub announced a landmark convening scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, in Lagos. Titled “Artificial Intelligence, The Media & Press Freedom: Issues & Perspectives,” the event aims to dissect AI’s implications for journalism and chart a path forward for safeguarding press freedom in Nigeria and beyond.
The gathering will also feature the release of IPC’s latest report on attacks against journalists in Nigeria, spotlighting the growing challenges faced by media practitioners in an AI-driven landscape.
From automated fact-checking to amplifying underreported stories, Nigerian media outlets are harnessing AI to hold power to account
“AI has ushered in remarkable advancements for journalism,” said Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre. “From automated fact-checking to amplifying underreported stories, Nigerian media outlets are harnessing AI to hold power to account.
Yet, the risks are escalating at an alarming rate. AI-generated disinformation is outpacing traditional journalism, threatening the very foundation of public trust.”
Arogundade cited a 2024 International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) report, which revealed that AI-powered fake news spreads faster than human-generated falsehoods. Nigeria ranks among Africa’s top 10 targets for such disinformation campaigns. Additionally, a 2024 UNESCO study found that 47% of Nigerian journalists have faced AI-driven surveillance, including facial recognition and predictive policing tools aimed at silencing dissent.
The IPC-SPJ Hub emphasized that Nigeria’s press freedom environment—already strained by restrictive cybercrime laws, internet blackouts, and physical attacks on reporters—faces further erosion unless immediate action is taken. “AI must not become a weapon to suppress democracy,” the statement declared. “Without robust safeguards, it risks replacing truth with manipulation and accountability with control.”
AI must not become a weapon to suppress democracy
The May 7 event will bring together journalists, policymakers, tech leaders, and civil society to propose actionable strategies for protecting press freedom in the digital age. The IPC-SPJ Hub demands that AI be harnessed to serve democratic ideals, not undermine them, and calls on all stakeholders—journalists, tech giants, lawmakers, and citizens—to champion the right to truthful information.
“Journalists won’t be replaced by AI,” Arogundade concluded, “but without vigilance, the future of journalism could be dictated by algorithms rather than courage. We must ensure that press freedom thrives in this brave new world.”
World Press Freedom Day, established by the UN General Assembly in 1993, is observed annually on May 3 to reaffirm governments’ commitment to fostering a safe and enabling environment for journalism. This year’s focus on AI underscores the urgent need to adapt to technological shifts while preserving fundamental freedoms.
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