By Nusaiba Ibrahim
Media Awareness and Information for All Network (MAIN) in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has conducted training for media managers, senior editors and content creators from the Northwest region on the Integration of Media and Information Literacy (MIL). The two-day event took place in Kano State from May 19 to 20, 2025.
In his welcoming address, the Chairman of MAIN, Prof. Jide Jomoh, Lagos State University, appreciated all the participants and guests for sparing time out of their busy schedules to attend the session. He also appreciated the support of the Kano State government. Some of the objectives of the training, he said, included ensuring that editorial policies are reviewed in line with the rise of technology and the emergence of AI, as well as strengthening the capacity of journalists with the skills needed to combat information disorder.
To declare the event open, Hon. Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs in Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Waiya, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the Kano State government to MAIN and UNESCO for organising the event. He said the training comes at a time when journalism is facing challenges on issues brought by information disorder. He noted that the training will surely equip the participants with the practical skills they need, especially for national development.
Also speaking during the occasion, Adamu Salisu, the State Coordinator of NBC, Kano State, who represented the Zonal Coordinator, said there are indeed blurred gaps between content creators and journalists, which make activities quite uneasy for media managers today. He added that “Integrating MIL is not merely a theoretical exercise but a practical necessity.”
Notable presentations on the first day of the event were made by Dr. Ruqayyah Yusuf Aliyu of Bayero University Kano, who spoke on MIL in Journalism – Challenges and Prospects, and Dr. Helen T. Olojede, the Head of the Department of Philosophy at the National Open University, who discussed Media and Information Literacy Responses to Generative AI. The sessions presented participants with the opportunity to discuss contemporary issues surrounding information disorder, combating misinformation, using AI and technology ethically, and how MIL can be integrated into media practice for the benefit of the public.
Also, during the session, Ms. Yachat Nuhu, from the Communication and Information sector, UNESCO Abuja, gave an overview of the organisation’s work on media and information literacy. Additionally, Dr. Oluseyi Soremekun, the National Officer of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), discussed extensively the issues and competencies of understanding Media and Information Literacy.
The second day of the training was focused more on discussions and active participation from the attendees. Prof. Jimoh led a discussion on MIL and national development, reviewing the editorial policies of selected media organisations. Participants were later divided into groups for in-depth discussions, and thereafter, representatives from the groups presented on the key competencies needed to support the implementation of policies and strategies on MIL in their respective media organisations.
In their various remarks, the participants stated that the program has achieved its objectives to the tune of 80 per cent. Media practitioners from The Daily Reality, the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Katsina State Television, Abubakar Rimi Television, Freedom Radio Kano, Daily Trust and the Vanguard Newspaper, as well as Hausa_Fulanii, a notable northern Nigerian blogger, among many others, participated in the session.
Finally, the session concluded with the formation of the Nigeria MIL Media Executive Network, which will be chaired by Mr. Abba Zayyan, a seasoned media professional in Nigeria. The training will also be replicated in the other zones of the country, as that of the North West was the first.
Nusaiba Ibrahim Na’abba is a freelance journalist and communication specialist from Kano, Nigeria. She can be reached via nusaibaibrahim66@gmail.com.