The Chairman of the Maritime Media and Capacity Development Centre (MMCDC), Sesan Onileimo, has urged maritime journalists to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance news gathering, data analysis and reporting, while maintaining professional ethics, accuracy and accountability.
Onileimo made the call on Saturday at the opening of an executive training programme on AI for maritime journalists, organised by MMCDC, the capacity development arm of First Mediacon Network Limited.
He said the training fulfilled a commitment made during the 10th anniversary of the Annual Seminar for Maritime Journalists in December 2025 and would herald the 2026 edition of the seminar.
Maritime journalists showcases their certificate after the training workshop in Ikeja lagos
According to him, AI is transforming newsroom operations by creating opportunities for journalists to improve efficiency, strengthen research and deliver more informed reports.
He identified research, transcription, translation, data analysis, content development and multimedia production as areas where AI tools could assist journalists, allowing them to devote more time to investigative reporting, critical analysis and public-interest journalism.
L-R Chairman Media Capacity building Development Mr Sesan Onileimo awards certificate of participating to journalists Editor,presenter worldswiftnews (WSNTv) Amina Ojelabi at the training centre ikeja lagos
However, Onileimo cautioned that AI should complement, rather than replace, journalists, warning that AI-generated content could contain factual errors, misleading interpretations and fabricated information.
He urged participants to independently verify information generated by AI and uphold the fundamental principles of truth, accuracy, fairness and accountability.
Highlighting the relevance of AI to maritime reporting, he explained that coverage of port operations, shipping, logistics and regulatory developments often requires journalists to interpret complex technical and economic data.
According to him, AI tools could help analyse indicators such as cargo throughput, vessel turnaround time and operational costs, provided the findings were cross-checked against official records, reliable documents and independent sources.
The MMCDC chairman also raised concerns about the risks associated with AI, including misinformation, deepfakes, fabricated images, plagiarism, copyright infringement and data privacy breaches.
He advised journalists to authenticate images, audio recordings and videos before publication and avoid uploading confidential documents, unpublished investigations or sensitive information about sources to AI platforms without appropriate safeguards.
Onileimo called on media organisations, professional associations, training institutions and corporate bodies to invest in continuous professional development for maritime journalists to keep pace with emerging technologies.
He described the training as part of First Mediacon Network Limited’s corporate social responsibility initiatives and thanked the Chief Executive Officer of Brooks Training Institute, Mr Emmanuel Maiguwa, for providing the venue free of charge.
He also commended participants for investing in their professional growth, expressing confidence that the programme would help build a technologically equipped, ethically responsible and competitive maritime media community.
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