Opening Remarks by Dr Sophia Horsfall, General Manager, External Relations & Sustainable Development, NLNG, at the Nigerian Media Leaders’ Summit, Abeokuta | 11 May 2026
The media has one of the few platforms that can educate an entire nation, tell our story, and help direct the course of history. Democracies are built on strong institutions. And one of the most impactful institutions in a democracy is a free but responsible press.
It is fitting we are gathered here today in Abeokuta, birthplace of journalism in Nigeria with the launch of Iwe Irohin, Nigeria’s first newspaper over two centuries ago.
Long before clickbait and trending Topics, journalism was envisioned here in Nigeria as a vehicle for enlightenment, accountability and nation-building.
Today, I say we meet at another crucial juncture for the same reason.
To Reset. To Restart. To Restore…
Reset
When we reset our phones, we accept the reality that something changed.
When we press restore, we acknowledge that the world has moved on.
My friends, it’s time we media executives accept the same truth:
The media industry has changed forever.
Information now travels faster than fact-checking.
Opinions spread farther and faster than the truth.
Attention is now the biggest currency we all chase.
A teenager with a phone can disrupt traditional news cycles before most editorial meetings of today end.
This past month, multiple global technology and policy leaders sounded alarm bells on AI-generated content and deep fakes – fearing their misuse ahead of key elections in India, Iran, Mexico and the United States. All over the world, audiences are taking notice. There is an increasing expectation that reputable sources of news will provide context and analysis that is rooted in fact. Everywhere you look, media outlets are learning that credibility is hard-earned and easily lost.
The gatekeeping model is over.
Audiences don’t want to hear about what happened yesterday. They wake up to breaking notifications, live-streams, podcasts, short-form videos and hot takes -often before the full picture is known.
If your news outlet is waiting for audiences to tune in to your platform of choice tomorrow, you’re not just losing the race for their attention. You’re losing their trust.
This new reality: means that just because you had it first, doesn’t mean you’ll stay relevant.
Media outlets are no longer privileged just because they’ve been around for ages.
Publishers with legacy are learning that history can earn you respect. But relevance can earn you survival.
This disruption is not coming. It’s already here.
At this moment, the question is not if your organisation will be disrupted. It is how will you remain relevant and important to those who need trusted journalism the most.
Restart
If resetting the industry requires acceptance. Restarting it requires courage.
All around us, the most forward-thinking media companies are not just evolving with the times. They are reshaping the storytelling landscape.
AI, Immersive journalism, Data analytics, Machine learning, Integrated audience metrics, Augmented reality, Multilingual publishing platforms and Creator-focused ecosystems. The future of news is being rewritten across many fronts.
As production improves and reading habits change, the newsrooms of tomorrow will face pressure to compete beyond just being first.
They will also need to compete on providing the best analysis, context and truth-based reporting.
Last week, some of the largest newspapers in the world announced partnerships with AI organisations. Not because journalism will no longer matter, but because quality journalism verified by trusted institutions will matter more than ever before, in a world awash with artificial content.
And that, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, is where Nigerian media can reset, restart, and ultimately restore itself.
Our country is filled with stories begging to be told.
What Nigeria doesn’t have are enough outlets telling those stories, day in and day out, with professionalism and competitiveness that can hold its own on a global scale.
Our industry needs to continue tapping into its creativity and resourcefulness to offer our audiences more than news reporting.
We must lead national conversations on critical issues: how to power our nation reliably. How to take advantage of emerging technology. How to improve our education system. How to prepare for climate change. How to safely open up our economy. And how to heal socially divided communities.
The future will reward the storyteller who publishes first. And EXPLAINS it best.
Restore
If there is one thing we must restore, it is trust.
Trust is the currency of the media industry.
And once your audience loses trust, there will always be another voice trying to take its place.
Make no mistake, our world has never had so many tools to hold institutions accountable. Falsehoods and inaccuracies can spread faster than truth. Clicks and outrage seem to be driving revenue more than credibility.
In times like these, the profession of journalism is sacred.
The reputation of a credible newspaper, broadcast network or online platform must be a refuge for verified facts.
Let audiences trust that when they see your logo, they know exactly what to expect – balanced reporting with integrity.
If we allow it, history will judge this period not only by the bad leadership we endured. But will be judged by the reputations of credible institutions that we continue to tolerate on social media and everywhere else.
That is why quality journalism matters.
That is why bold editorial decisions matter.
And that is why today is important.
The NLNG recognises the importance of a free but responsible press in shaping national discourse.
That is why in the last ten years we have supported over 200 Nigerian journalists through the NLNG Change Your Story initiative in content development and digital skills acquisition, and a few months ago invested in ‘Media Career Fix’ – an initiative by the Media Career Development Network to train and improve the careers of 150 media professionals because we believe that by empowering journalists, you empower press freedom and in turn strengthen the fabric of society.
We at NLNG will continue to support programs that empower journalists to be independent, future-ready, technologically agile and most of all, ethical in their practice.
May this summit spark a revolution of ideas that will reset your thinking, help you restart your organizations for the future and restore audiences’ faith in the power of journalism.