By Michael Omotosho |
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), with support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nigeria, has named Development News Network (DNN) alongside six other independent media organisations as the inaugural beneficiaries of its Local Media Sustainability Fund (LMSF), a high-impact initiative aimed at strengthening the long-term sustainability of local journalism in Nigeria and across West Africa.
The selected organisations include Development Reporting, FactsMatterNG, Development News Network (DNN), Confiance News, Inside the Niger Delta, EduGist, and Sapientia International Media Centre.
The beneficiaries emerged after participating in the CJID Media Sustainability Workshop held in Lagos in April 2026, where media organisations underwent intensive training on newsroom resilience, financial management, audience development, governance, editorial independence, revenue diversification, and long-term institutional planning.
Strengthening Independent Journalism
Announcing the inaugural cohort, CJID said the initiative comes at a time when many independent media organisations are grappling with declining advertising revenue, shifting audience behaviour, the dominance of global technology platforms in digital advertising, and shrinking international support for media development.
The organisation said that while donor support has traditionally focused on investigative and public-interest journalism, there is an increasing need to invest directly in the institutions responsible for producing quality journalism.
According to them, the Local Media Sustainability Fund was created to strengthen the resilience, independence, and long-term viability of local news organisations so they can continue serving the public through credible and impactful journalism.
Funding, Mentorship and Institutional Support
Beyond financial grants to produce public-interest reports on human rights, democracy, and accountability, each participating newsroom will undergo a three-month institutional development programme.
The programme will provide newsroom coaching, technical assistance, mentorship, peer learning opportunities, and access to experts in financial management, fundraising, editorial leadership, governance, communications, and organisational development.
CJID explained that participating organisations will also develop newsroom sustainability plans with continuous technical support throughout the pilot phase.
Reacting to the announcement, Editorial Director of Development News Network (DNN), Mayowa Adeniran, described the support as a significant milestone for the organisation, saying it would strengthen the newsroom’s capacity to deliver impactful public-interest journalism.
“This is more than a grant; it is an investment for the future and the sustainability of our newsroom. It allows us to strengthen our systems, deepen investigative reporting, and produce more accountability stories that inform citizens and contribute to positive change,”Adeniran said.
He added that the support would enable DNN to build a stronger investigative journalism desk while expanding its coverage of governance, development, human rights, and other issues that directly affect communities.
“As a development-focused newsroom, we remain committed to journalism that informs, empowers, and holds institutions accountable. This support will help us expand that mission with greater depth, wider reach and lasting impact,”he added.
Democracy Depends on Strong Newsrooms
Speaking on the initiative, Chief Executive Officer of CJID, Dapo Olorunyomi, said protecting democracy requires investing in the institutions that produce credible journalism.
“The future of democracy depends not only on the quality of journalism we produce, but also on the strength of the institutions that produce it,” Olorunyomi said.
He noted that local media organisations remain the first point of contact for many communities, reporting issues affecting citizens’ daily lives, holding public officials accountable, and amplifying voices that might otherwise be excluded from national conversations.
Olorunyomi observed that despite their importance, many local news organisations remain financially vulnerable.
“For too long, conversations about media support have focused primarily on content. Strong journalism also requires strong institutions with sound governance, sustainable business models, capable leadership, and the resilience to withstand political and economic pressures,” he added.
According to him, the Local Media Sustainability Fund represents CJID’s investment in the long-term capacity of local newsrooms because safeguarding independent media ultimately strengthens democratic societies.
Building Resilient Media Institutions
CJID’s Executive Director, Akintunde Babatunde, described the first cohort as the beginning of a long-term strategy to build stronger and more sustainable local media organisations across West Africa.
“This programme is intentionally designed to go beyond conventional newsroom grants. We are pairing catalytic funding with structured technical support, mentorship, and organisational development because sustainable journalism requires sustainable institutions,” Babatunde said.
He disclosed that CJID plans to support at least 100 local and community media organisations across West Africa over the next five years, helping them strengthen governance, diversify revenue streams, improve operational resilience, and maintain editorial independence.
Northern Nigeria Cohort to Follow
CJID explained that the current beneficiaries represent the Southern Nigeria cohort, which marks the first phase of the programme’s rollout. A second cohort targeting Northern Nigeria is expected to be announced in November 2026, as part of the organisation’s phased strategy to build a nationwide network of resilient local media institutions.
The initiative is being implemented by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) with support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nigeria, as part of broader efforts to strengthen independent journalism, democratic governance, and media resilience across the region.
About the Local Media Sustainability Fund
The Local Media Sustainability Fund (LMSF) is CJID’s flagship programme dedicated to strengthening the long-term resilience of independent local and community media organisations in West Africa.
By combining catalytic funding, institutional capacity building, technical assistance, newsroom coaching, and peer learning, the initiative seeks to help media organisations build sustainable institutions capable of consistently producing high-quality public-interest journalism that promotes accountability, democracy, and civic participation.
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