At the Innovation for Development Conference themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s AI Potentials for Media Sustainability and Democracy,” the New Thoughts Media Support Foundation, also known as Civic Media Lab, on Wednesday unveiled ToriAI, a groundbreaking artificial intelligence tool designed to enhance sustainable journalism and civic engagement.
ToriAI, developed through local research and newsroom collaboration, aims to support newsrooms with multilingual summaries, inclusive storytelling, and automation.
It is tailored to address key challenges facing Nigerian media outlets, from high operational costs to the need for faster, more accurate reporting.
According to Civic Media Lab, ToriAI serves as a conversational and verification assistant that helps journalists access trustworthy local information, verify data, and amplify civic reporting for public-interest advocacy.
The launch event, held at BON Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, drew media veterans, tech entrepreneurs, academics, civic activists, and representatives of donor and partner organizations.
In his welcome address, Seun Akinfolarin, Program Director at Civic Media Lab, commended the participants for their commitment to innovation and public-interest journalism.
He described ToriAI as a product of collective effort and a reflection of Nigeria’s growing capacity to shape AI for democratic purposes.
Delivering the keynote address, Dapo Olorunyomi, Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times and CEO of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), represented by Mansur Hussain, the Innovation Lead at CJID, underscored the role of AI in reshaping media and democracy.
“The role of the media has always been to hold power accountable, enlighten citizens, and ensure truth remains the central currency of democracy.
“But every generation faces its defining question. Ours is how to sustain democracy in an age where information itself has become both the battleground and the weapon,” Olorunyomi said.
He noted that while AI offers tools that can transcribe interviews, detect deepfakes, and summarize data, it also raises questions about ethics, truth, and human judgment.
“The danger is not that AI will replace journalists, but that it might replace judgment,” he cautioned.
Olorunyomi added that if Africa anchors the AI revolution in ethics and truth, “this will be the century when Africa does not merely consume innovation but creates it.”
Panel sessions at the event explored AI adaptation in Nigeria, ethical journalism, and sustainability models for civic tech.
Panelists, including professors, technocrats, and tech entrepreneurs, emphasized ethical frameworks, journalist training, and user privacy as essential pillars for responsible AI deployment.
Participants also discussed infrastructural challenges and opportunities for integrating AI into local reporting.
Many attendees praised the tool’s emphasis on privacy and community control.
Isiyaku Ahmed, Editor-in-Chief of Stallion Times, described ToriAI as “a deliberate attempt to apply emerging AI tools to civic problems while foregrounding ethics and community control.”
He added that if ToriAI fulfills its goals, “it could become a model for how civic tech supports accountable governance and community journalism.”
Similarly, Kelvin Ololo, a reporter with Cross River Watch, lauded the initiative, saying, “The launch of ToriAI will help us tell our stories better from African and Nigerian perspectives. It’s a timely and welcome development.”
At its core, the ToriAI launch reflected a growing consensus that technology must serve democracy by empowering journalists, protecting privacy, and amplifying citizen voices in the digital age.
