The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has charged Nigerian journalists to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a transformative tool to enhance transparency, accountability, and democratic governance.
Adeniyi made this call on Monday, May 5, 2025, while delivering the 7th Convocation Lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) in Lagos. The lecture, titled “Artificial Intelligence in Public Governance”, explored the evolving role of AI in shaping media practice and national development.
The Customs boss underscored the importance of leveraging AI’s potential to improve information gathering, fact-checking, and public communication, especially among young media professionals.
“Previously, journalists sourced information from numerous channels, but today, AI makes the process much easier,” he said. “That said, we must look beyond its negative aspects. I believe young journalists can build on this enhanced capacity by asking the right questions. That’s when we can truly talk about AI improving governance.”
Adeniyi also highlighted the threat of misinformation and the critical role of AI in curbing fake news through accurate data analysis and responsible reporting. He stressed that embracing AI must go hand-in-hand with media ethics and informed public dialogue.
Beyond journalism, Adeniyi called for the integration of AI education into the training curricula of security and public service institutions. He advocated for updating foundational courses for new recruits and instituting regular refresher programmes for serving personnel to bridge the AI knowledge gap.
“In terms of security, we must close the knowledge gap by updating the foundational curriculum for all new recruits across security agencies. For those already in service, ongoing refresher courses will ensure they stay abreast of developments in the AI space,” he noted.
The lecture drew participants from the media, academia, and the public sector, many of whom lauded Adeniyi’s perspectives as timely and crucial for the future of journalism and governance in Nigeria.
