Uche Pedro, Rita Dominic Join Media Leaders in Advancing Balanced Narratives Amid AI Boom

As Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how stories are created, shared, and monetised, a growing group of African media leaders has presented a crucial question of who gets represented, and how?
Such critical inquiry took the centre stage on January 21, 2026, when creators, technologists, and media entrepreneurs gathered at the Entertainment and Media Hubs space in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, for a workshop on gender-equitable storytelling in the AI age.

The session, with the theme: ‘Power, Platforms, Profit & Parity’, was organised by media innovator and BellaNaija founder Uche Pedro, who also serves as a Technical Ecosystem Advisor under the Entertainment and Media Hubs Champions Project, an initiative powered by the Creative Economy Practice at CcHUB.

The assembling came at a milestone moment for BellaNaija, which marks 20 years this year as one of Africa’s most influential digital media platforms.

Throughout the workshop, Pedro led conversations examining how power structures, platform ownership, commercial sustainability, and gender representation intersect in today’s media landscape, particularly as AI tools increasingly influence editorial decisions, content creation, and distribution.
Central to the discussion was the idea that innovation must go hand in hand with intention, especially when building platforms meant to last.

The room brought together a cross-section of voices from the media, technology, and the wider creative economy.

Among those who attended the programme were Uzo Orimalade, Victory Wilson, and Oluwadamilola Olatunji, alongside industry figures and emerging creatives shaping new narratives.
The Programme Manager for CcHUB’s Creative Economy Practice, Omolabake Fakorede, also shared insights into opportunities within the Entertainment and Media Hub, and encouraged participants to plug into its growing ecosystem.

However, discussions were far from theoretical, as participants exchanged real-world experiences using AI tools such as Google Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Claude AI while interrogating the ethical implications of these technologies. A recurring theme was the need to leverage AI without replicating or amplifying long-standing gender and cultural biases.

A defining moment of the day came with the surprise appearance of Rita Dominic, whose presence immediately inspired the room. The Nollywood icon, with close to three decades in the film industry as an actor, producer, and studio executive, delivered a thoughtful reflection, tracing how storytelling has evolved in Nigerian cinema.

Dominic reframed storytelling as a daily, intentional act that shapes culture far beyond the screen.
Reflecting on her early career in the industry, she spoke about resisting stereotypes, stressing that gender-equitable storytelling goes beyond tokenism.

Authentic stories, she noted, “are the ones that endure and resonate with audiences, and collaboration, including technology-enabled collaboration, remains key to building sustainable creative ecosystems.”
True success, Dominic concluded, lies in telling honest, layered stories that leave the industry more inclusive and truthful than it was found.

The programme also featured contributions from Oluwatosin Olaseinde, Founder of Money Africa and Ladda, who highlighted how digital content creation continues to unlock new economic opportunities across the creative sector. Interactive elements, including a vision board exercise and a thematic presentation unpacking power, platforms, profit, and parity, helped ground the conversations in action.
As the programme progressed, participants took to social media to commend the workshop experience.
Reflecting on the gathering, Uche Pedro, a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School, underscored the heightened responsibility that comes with AI’s growing influence on media and culture.

As technology increasingly shapes which stories are seen, shared, and monetised, she noted that creators, platform builders, and policymakers must work in tandem to ensure innovation drives inclusive growth. She pointed to the creative and digital sectors as critical engines for Nigeria’s economic future, particularly in expanding opportunities for youth employment. The future, Pedro emphasised, lies in storytelling that is culturally grounded, economically sustainable, and intentionally inclusive.