Onileimo: Maritime Reporting Demands Specialised Knowledge as AI Reshapes Newsrooms

The Chairman of the Maritime Media & Capacity Development Centre (MMCDC), Mr Sesan Onileimo, has said maritime reporting requires specialised knowledge and the ability to interpret complex technical, regulatory and economic issues.

Onileimo spoke in Lagos at the opening ceremony of an executive training programme on artificial intelligence (AI) for maritime journalists, organised by the MMCDC.

He said AI had become a key driver of change in journalism, offering new opportunities while posing challenges that demand knowledge, competence and professional responsibility. The training, he added, was timely given how technology was reshaping news gathering, processing, verification and dissemination.

Onileimo stressed the need for journalists to build capacity to adapt, saying they could not afford to remain passive observers of a technological revolution transforming the profession.

“The future of journalism requires us to combine professional experience with technological competence, sound judgement and ethical responsibility,” he said.

He underscored the importance of the training to maritime journalists, noting that Nigeria’s maritime industry plays a vital role in international trade, port operations, shipping, logistics, job creation and economic development.

“Reporting these activities requires specialised knowledge and the ability to interpret complex technical, regulatory and economic issues. For instance, when reporting on port performance, journalists may need to examine cargo throughput, vessel turnaround time, operational costs and other indicators,” Onileimo said.

He added that AI can help organise and analyse such information, while journalists verify the figures and provide the context needed for interesting, fact-based reporting. These capabilities, he said, can encourage more analytical, evidence-based and investigative reporting on Nigeria’s maritime sector.

Onileimo, however, cautioned that AI-generated information should not be the sole basis for credible reporting, stressing that official records, dependable documents and independent sources remain crucial to responsible journalism.

He also warned maritime journalists against overlooking the risks associated with AI, including misinformation, fabricated images, deepfakes, plagiarism, copyright issues and breaches of data privacy.

According to him, AI’s ability to produce convincing yet inaccurate information makes verification more important than ever.

“Journalists must confirm claims, check sources and independently verify images, audio recordings and videos before using them. We must also exercise caution when uploading confidential documents, unpublished investigations or sensitive information about our sources to AI platforms,” Onileimo said.

He said AI must serve journalism and never replace journalists’ conscience, independence or responsibility to the public.

“Remember, whatever you put out in the public domain carries your byline. We must ensure that technological advancement strengthens societal trust in our profession. We must not allow AI or unverified attributions or sources to undermine this trust,” he said.

Onileimo noted that AI is already assisting journalists with research, transcription, translation, data analysis, content development and multimedia production. When properly applied, he said, these tools can improve efficiency, save time and allow journalists to concentrate on investigative reporting, critical analysis and public-interest journalism.

He stressed that AI is a tool, not a replacement for the journalist or journalism.

“AI can generate information quickly, but that information may contain errors, misleading interpretations or fabricated details. It is therefore expected that journalists must verify AI-generated content before publication. Even as we rely on these tools, we must remain committed to truth, accuracy, fairness and accountability,” he said.

Onileimo said continuous professional development was vital to the growth and sustainability of maritime journalism, urging media organisations, professional bodies and training institutions to collaborate in equipping journalists to meet emerging technological demands.

He also called on corporate organisations to partner with the MMCDC to strengthen efforts to train and develop journalists.

The facilitator of the training and Chief Executive Officer of Delles Prints, Mr Adebayo Babatunde, said AI was designed to assist journalists, not replace them.

“AI is only there to enhance and speed up production, not to take jobs away from journalists. AI supports journalists. It can speed up parts of the process; it saves time on repetitive tasks. It helps journalists process large tasks, support investigative work, and make the newsroom workflow more efficient,” Babatunde said.