Television Continental (TVC), a news outlet in Nigeria has taken a step towards simplifying journalism by first using Artificial Intelligence (AI) news anchors, with the capabilities of delivering news bulletins in five major languages – English, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Pidgin. This groundbreaking initiative is not aimed at replacing human journalists but at enhancing news delivery and promoting inclusivity for Nigeria’s diverse population.
The AI-powered anchors are designed to support human reporters and presenters, expanding TVC’s reach across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and ensuring more audiences can access information in a language they understand.
CEO of TVC Communications, Victoria Ajayi emphasized the transformational potential of the innovation, stating, “Our AI news anchors will enable us to take our news coverage to the next level as we showcase our commitment to leveraging technology to drive growth using innovation.”
She further clarified that editorial integrity remains paramount, with trained journalists and editors carefully reviewing all AI-generated content.
“Trained journalists and editors will assess every output to ensure it meets our standards of accuracy, balance, and credibility,” she added.
TVC joins a growing list of global broadcasters in experimenting with AI-powered journalism.
China was the first to unveil AI news anchors, with state-run Xinhua News Agency debuting them in 2018. India’s “India Today Group” launched Sana, its first AI anchor in 2023, Malaysia’s Astro Awani also rolled out an AI presenter in 2024 for multilingual broadcasts, among others.
In Nigeria, the reaction to TVC’s announcement has been largely positive. Broadcasting Journalist and Senior Presenter Ibraheem Shitta described the moment as a defining one for African journalism.
“This is more than just a tech headline – it’s a defining moment for African Journalism,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
Comments from professionals and tech enthusiasts applauded the innovation, highlighting the importance of acquiring AI and digital media skills. One user, Jamiu Kunle Ayinde, stressed that rather than eliminating jobs, AI is redefining roles.
“When the computer was introduced, people thought their jobs were gone. But new roles emerged. With AI, jobs are not gone — they will just be redefined. You just have to reposition yourself to fit into the new roles,” he wrote.
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Lagos, TVC Communications operates several platforms, including TVC News, TVC Entertainment, Max FM Lagos, Max FM Abuja, Adaba FM, and Yanga FM, with national and international reach.
With this move, Nigeria officially joins a growing global conversation on how artificial intelligence can shape the future of journalism while preserving human editorial oversight and storytelling integrity.
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