Abuja: The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) says seven Nigerian media organisations have benefited from its Local Media Sustainability Fund (LMSF). This flagship initiative is designed to enhance the long-term sustainability of independent local media organisations across West Africa, as announced by CJID Executive Director, Akintunde Babatunde, in a statement.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the initiative comes at a time when media organisations are grappling with numerous challenges, such as declining advertising revenue, shifting audience patterns, the dominance of global technology platforms, and a reduction in international support. Babatunde identified the beneficiaries as Development Reporting, FactsMatterNG, Development News Network, Confiance News, Inside the Niger Delta, EduGist, and Sapientia International Media Centre. The inaugural cohort, comprising media organisations from Southern Nigeria, signifies the start of a long-term commitment to bolstering local journalism in West Africa.
Babatunde revealed that these organisations were selected following CJID’s Media Sustainability Workshop held in Lagos in April 2026. He explained that the participating newsrooms received training in resilience, governance, financial management, audience development, revenue diversification, and institutional planning. Each organisation will receive funding to produce public-interest journalism centered on human rights, democracy, and accountability.
Beyond financial assistance, Babatunde highlighted that the organisations would engage in a three-month institutional development programme, which includes newsroom coaching, technical assistance, mentorship, peer learning, and expert support in governance, fundraising, financial management, and editorial leadership. This programme aims to support impactful journalism while helping news organisations strengthen their systems, leadership, and business models for long-term viability.
Participating organisations will also develop newsroom sustainability plans during the pilot phase, with ongoing technical support from CJID. Babatunde emphasized that this programme transcends conventional newsroom grants by combining financial support with structured technical assistance, mentorship, and organisational development, as sustainable journalism necessitates sustainable institutions. He stated that this first cohort is the beginning of a tiered support ecosystem for local media in the sub-region, with ambitions to support at least 100 local and community media organisations across West Africa over the next five years.
CJID Chief Executive Officer, Dapo Olorunyomi, echoed the sentiment that the sustainability of journalism is intertwined with the sustainability of democracy. Olorunyomi stressed that the future of democracy relies not only on the quality of journalism but also on the strength of the institutions producing it. He noted that local media organisations in West Africa are often the first to report on community issues, hold public officials accountable, and ensure citizens’ voices are represented in national conversations. However, these organisations remain financially vulnerable.
Through the Local Media Sustainability Fund, CJID is investing in the long-term capacity of local newsrooms to protect independent media, which ultimately safeguards democratic societies. The Southern Nigeria cohort is the first phase of the fund’s rollout, with a second cohort focusing on Northern Nigeria scheduled for announcement in November 2026. This project is implemented by CJID with support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nigeria to reinforce independent media and democratic resilience.