By Martha Agas
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has acknowledged the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) for its contributions to Nigeria’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem and development efforts.
The recognition is contained in UNESCO’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Report for Nigeria, which assessed the country’s preparedness for AI development, adoption and governance.
In a statement by CJID’s Executive Director, Akintunde Babatunde, on Friday in Abuja, he said the organisation was recognised among CSOs contributing to AI literacy and inclusion alongside Public Awareness and Advocacy.
Babatunde said the UNESCO recognition came as CJID expanded its AI work beyond media training into technology development, research, digital literacy and policy engagement, targeting journalists, educators, students and CSOs across Nigeria and Africa.
He also said that under AI literacy and inclusion, the report listed CJID alongside CoDiCI as organisations working to promote access, understanding and participation in AI ecosystems.
He said the report particularly identified CJID for its intensive public awareness and advocacy, highlighting efforts to raise awareness about AI’s social implications and foster civic engagement through media and education.
He also said that the recognition followed several years of investment by CJID in AI, journalism and digital governance across Nigeria and Africa.
”CJID is part of the Nigeria AI Collective, where it coordinates a ‘Community of Practice’ of more than 600 members drawn from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), media and journalism, academia and research, technology and development, as well as students and emerging professionals.
”In July, the organisation expanded the initiative by awarding AI advocacy grants to seven Nigerian civil society organisations,” he said.
He explained that the grants supported independent advocacy projects around public understanding of AI, responsible technology adoption, digital inclusion, citizen engagement, information integrity, policy awareness and accountability.
He added that beyond the collective, the CJID had trained hundreds of journalists, civil society actors, educators, university lecturers, teachers and students on AI and its implications for journalism and society.
He said through its AI Campus Network, CJID supported young people to develop practical AI skills.
”In 2025, CJID provided computers to students at the University of Lagos to support their learning and experimentation with AI, recognising that meaningful AI literacy also depends on access to the tools needed to learn and participate.
”This work extends to media innovation.
”CJID has internally developed five AI-enabled tools addressing fact-checking, electoral transparency and disinformation, while its fact-checkers and fellows have debunked hundreds of AI-generated and manipulated pieces of content,” he said.
According to Babatunde, CJID’s annual AI reporting fellowship has supported journalists to investigate and report on artificial intelligence and its impact across different sectors.
He said CJID had also hosted three AI and Media Summits, bringing together journalists, researchers, technology practitioners, policymakers and civil society actors to examine how AI was reshaping media and society.
He said that in February, the CJID led a delegation of 10 civil society and media organisations to the AI Impact Summit in India, expanding Nigerian participation in global conversations on AI development and governance.
”Beyond these interventions, CJID’s work increasingly engages questions around AI governance, platform accountability, information integrity, responsible adoption and the consequences of emerging technologies for journalism and democratic societies,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deborah Coker