AI, Foreign Control Threaten African Media Independence — Obaigbena

Chairman of ThisDay and Arise Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) and the growing dominance of foreign powers in the global digital content ecosystem threaten the independence and sustainability of African media voices.

Speaking at the 21st All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) at the State House in Abuja, Obaigbena said the rapid evolution of AI and the control of global content distribution by the United States and China could marginalise African perspectives and limit the continent’s ability to tell its own stories.

“We are confronted by a world where one or two countries control digital content distribution,” Obaigbena said. “Social media is controlled principally by the United States and, to some extent, by China.

“As AI transforms the way information is produced, shared, and monetised, Africa risks losing its voice in the emerging global media order,” Obaigbena noted.

The media mogul, who served as co-chair of the editors’ conference, announced the forthcoming launch of Lakeleke, a new digital media platform designed to challenge the dominance of Western and Asian tech giants in the global content market.

“As a diversified media group, we are launching our own social media and content platform — Lakeleke — on January 1,” he said. “It will shape the future and challenge the dominance of the U.S. and China. But this is not for Arise or ThisDay alone; all of us must take responsibility to build technology and algorithms that reflect African realities and sustain our independence.”

Obaigbena said the rise of AI has disrupted traditional journalism models and monetisation structures, warning that without strategic innovation, African media could become dependent on foreign platforms for both content and distribution.

“The algorithms that determine visibility and monetisation are changing,” he said. “Google’s search models are evolving, AI tools are rewriting how content is created, and journalism itself is being reshaped. If we do not innovate, Africa will be left on the margins of a digital economy run by others.”

He called on editors, publishers, and government leaders to view the protection of Nigeria’s media independence as a national priority, noting that the country must invest in technology that allows its stories to compete globally.

“We must protect Nigeria’s voice in the world of AI and big data,” Obaigbena said. “If we lose our voice, others will define who we are, and we will become consumers, not producers, of narratives.”

Turning to the nation’s political history, the ThisDay publisher drew a sharp contrast between Nigeria’s current democratic engagement and the repression of the past.

He recalled that nearly 30 years ago, editors and publishers were summoned to the Presidential Villa under military rule and addressed under threat, unlike today’s open dialogue under a civilian president.

“Almost to the day — November 10, 30 years ago — we editors and publishers were invited to this same Villa by the late General Sani Abacha,” he recounted. “We sat in fear as soldiers lectured us under dictatorship. Today, we are back here under democracy, engaging freely with the President of the Federal Republic. That is progress, and it shows how far we’ve come as a nation.”

Obaigbena emphasised the importance of sustaining that democratic progress through stability and reform, warning that economic disruption could erase the gains made in recent years.

“We are at the crossroads of hard-fought reforms,” he said. “We must protect the current economic stability with everything we have. If we lose it, we lose the sacrifices of the last two years. U.S. sanctions or any form of external economic pressure could undermine our progress and set us back.”

He urged the media to build a coalition of “the willing” — a partnership among journalists, policymakers, and innovators — to defeat poverty, insecurity, and misinformation while strengthening Nigeria’s democratic values.

“As we celebrate free speech and democracy, we must also prepare for the new age of AI,” he said. “Let us build our own tools, our own systems, and our own future. If we don’t, we will be defined by others.”

Obaigbena called on editors to see themselves not just as reporters of history but as active participants in shaping the future of Nigeria and Africa.

“AI is rewriting the rules of global media,” he said. “The question is whether we, as Africans, will shape that future or be shaped by it. The choice is ours — and the time to act is now.”