The Google News Initiative (GNI) has selected six Nigerian independent news creators to participate in its Emerging News Voices Growth Lab, a multi-month programme designed to help digital newsrooms strengthen their use of artificial intelligence, video, audience development and revenue strategies.
The Nigerian participants are Onlinebanker, Adetunji Films, More Branches TV, Wearegst, Iswellthecapitalist and The Republic. They are part of a cohort of about 20 emerging news creators from across Sub-Saharan Africa taking part in the programme, which runs through September 2026.
The initiative comes as creator-led journalism becomes important to how younger audiences discover and consume news.
“Independent news creators and digital-native newsrooms are shaping how Africans, and Nigerians in particular, find and understand the news,” said Marianne Erasmus, news partnerships lead, Middle East and Africa at Google.
Erasmus said the programme is designed to provide emerging newsrooms with practical AI capabilities, video and audience strategies, direct reader relationships and approaches to sustainable revenue.
“When emerging voices build capability and financial independence, the whole news ecosystem becomes more resilient, diverse and sustainable,” she said.
Wale Lawal, founder and editor-in-chief of The Republic, said the programme is helping the publication combine audience insights, product development and responsible AI use as it works towards building a more sustainable journalism model.
Nasir Achile Ahmed, editor-in-chief and co-founder of MoreBranches, said the programme had provided the newsroom with new tools, practical knowledge and opportunities to engage with experts and other journalists.
He said the initiative had also helped validate some of the newsroom’s existing observations while providing additional knowledge on how to use new tools effectively.
The programme is part of Google’s broader investment in the Nigerian media ecosystem.
Social media platforms and digital-native publications have become major channels for news distribution, but many independent newsrooms operate with limited resources and often lack access to advanced technology, training and sustainable monetisation strategies.
Through the Growth Lab, participants will receive practical training from Google trainers and product experts across four key areas.
One of the programme’s major focuses is the use of AI in newsroom operations. Participants will learn how to integrate tools including Gemini, NotebookLM, Google Trends and SynthID into workflows involving research, transcription, translation and content verification.
The programme will also focus on video and audience growth, with participants learning strategies for developing YouTube channels and using Shorts and long-form video to attract and retain audiences.
Another area of focus is building direct relationships with readers through open-web platforms and newsletters. This is intended to help emerging publishers develop first-party audiences rather than relying entirely on social media platforms for distribution.
Participants will also receive guidance on monetisation, product development and audience growth models aimed at helping their news organisations become more financially sustainable.
The Growth Lab builds on the Global News Gap Project, a mapping initiative conducted by GNI in partnership with Project Oasis and Code for Africa to identify independent African news creators and understand the areas where emerging newsrooms require greater support.
Since 2018, the company has supported newsroom transformation projects through the Google News Initiative, while also providing publishers with training on advertising revenue through the Ad Manager Academy.
Google said it has trained more than 1,500 Nigerian journalists and editors since 2024 in areas including online safety, advanced Search, digital verification and audience analytics.
The company also supports media skills development through its partnership with the MTN Media Innovation Programme, where fellows receive training on using AI as a productivity tool and on newsroom technologies, including News Consumer Insights and Gemini.
The latest Growth Lab shows the growing push to equip independent and creator-led news organisations with the technology, audience strategies and business skills needed to remain competitive as news consumption continues to shift towards digital and social platforms.
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