On-Going Inquiries.

Defining Professional Identity in Contemporary Nigerian Journalism: A Nationwide Survey of Media Workers.

Over the first half of 2025, there has been a renewed and growing conversation about who qualifies as a professional journalist in Nigeria. This debate reflects a shifting reality where many individuals without formal journalism training—including those from science, social sciences, and arts backgrounds—are now taking up key roles, leading media organisations, and making significant contributions to the media landscape.

Some of Nigeria’s most prominent media houses today are owned and led by people who have not formally studied journalism. This phenomenon goes beyond ownership to include newsroom leadership, editorial decision-making, reporting, and content creation roles.

This research project sets out to map the Nigerian newsroom, gathering insights about: Who are today’s journalists? What are their academic qualifications and professional backgrounds? How do they perceive their roles and responsibilities? What does the future of journalism in Nigeria look like in this rapidly evolving environment?

This research investigates the political spectrum of Nigeria’s national newspapers by systematically examining their reportage, editorials, and opinion pieces. It seeks to uncover how different media outlets align with political parties, state interests, and civic movements through their choice of frames, issue positioning, and editorial tone.

In a society where the press shapes public narratives and elite influence permeates the newsroom, this study offers an evidence-based evaluation of how Nigerian newspapers position themselves across the political spectrum. It contributes to ongoing conversations about media credibility, democracy, and the ethics of journalism in Nigeria.

This study explores the role of media in mediating public access to scientific research outputs in Nigeria, focusing on challenges like limited editorial capacity, politicised media ownership, and digital misinformation.

Science, technology, and innovation (STI) communications play a significant socio-economic role in the transformative process of every modern society. Although there have been several research outputs across health, agriculture, technology, and social sciences, a significant gap persists between research production and public engagement.

This study uses a mixed methods approach (content analysis and in-depth interviews with journalists, researchers, and science communicators). It explores current practices and identifies the gaps in the mass media coverage of STI-related content.

The results of this study will be presented at the first International Conference on Science Communication at the African University of Science and Technology, FCT Abuja, Nigeria, October 2025.