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Google has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening journalism and promoting media sustainability in Nigeria and across Africa through its continued partnership with the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP).
The technology giant made the commitment during the fifth edition of the MTN Media Innovation Programme, where it led sessions on sustainable revenue models, digital newsroom transformation, audience insights and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve productivity and audience engagement.
Strategic Partner Manager at Google, Onyinyechi “Nini” Eze, said the company remained committed to supporting journalists and media organisations as the industry adapts to changing audience behaviour and technological developments.
Eze said Google had trained more than 1,500 journalists and editors in Nigeria since 2024, equipping them with skills in advanced Search, online safety, verification and audience engagement.
“Quality journalism is essential to informed societies, and supporting the long-term sustainability of news organisations remains an important part of Google’s mission,” she said.
According to her, Google is helping journalists develop digital skills, better understand their audiences and explore new ways of building sustainable media organisations.
“Through our products, partnerships and programmes, we’re helping journalists build digital skills, better understand their audiences and explore new ways to grow sustainably. Our partnership with the MTN Media Innovation Programme reflects that ongoing commitment to equipping media professionals with the tools they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital environment,” she said.
Eze said the company’s participation in the programme was part of its broader effort to equip media professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the changing media ecosystem.
“This is my third year meeting the fellows. We talked about revenue models and how we are using Google AI solutions to support productivity, help news organisations improve workflows, create more relevant content and better understand their audiences,” she added.
The development comes amid growing concerns over declining advertising revenues, changing audience consumption patterns and the impact of AI on content creation and distribution.
During the sessions, Google introduced the fellows to tools and solutions designed to help publishers and journalists improve newsroom efficiency, understand their audiences and explore revenue opportunities.
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Although many of the participants were already familiar with Google products such as Google Docs, Gemini, Google Maps and Google Lens, the sessions exposed them to other solutions, including News Consumer Insights, audience analytics, website optimisation and monetisation tools.
The fellows also discussed the growing role of AI in journalism, with participants agreeing that the technology should be viewed as a productivity partner rather than a threat.
One of the fellows, Collins Christopher, said the session had strengthened his understanding of how Google’s AI tools could support journalism and improve his workflow.
He said he would further explore Gemini and its capabilities to enhance his work.
Another fellow, Chiamaka Dike, said she discovered several Google tools she had not previously used, including News Consumer Insights and Canvas.
“We are living in the world of AI, and if there’s a way to make your work faster and more seamless, then we should embrace it. These tools can help media practitioners generate story ideas, understand what audiences are talking about and produce more relevant stories,” she said.
Similarly, Jayne Augoye, who already uses several Google productivity tools, said the session introduced her to products that could provide deeper audience insights, support research and improve workflow management.
She said the experience had encouraged her to explore Gemini’s premium capabilities to further improve productivity and content development.
Beyond newsroom productivity, Google continues to support efforts to improve information quality and tackle misinformation through the Google News Initiative (GNI), which works with journalism and fact-checking organisations.
The initiative is aimed at supporting a healthier and more resilient news ecosystem as media organisations grapple with rapid technological and business changes.
The engagement underscored the growing intersection between technology and journalism, with Google encouraging media professionals to combine digital innovation with trusted reporting to deepen audience engagement and build more resilient news organisations.
