Google has selected six Nigerian digital news platforms to participate in its Emerging News Voices Growth Lab, a multi-month initiative designed to help independent newsrooms strengthen their operations and build more sustainable business models.

The six Nigerian participants are The Republic, More Branches TV, Onlinebanker, Adetunji Films, Wearegst, and Iswellthecapitalist. They join a broader cohort of approximately 20 emerging news creators from across Sub-Saharan Africa in the virtual programme, which runs through late September 2026.

The initiative arrives as creator-led platforms and social-first news channels increasingly serve as primary news sources for younger Nigerians. Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, with a median age of roughly 18, making it one of the world's youngest and fastest-growing digital audiences. Many of the organisations operating these platforms function with smaller teams and more limited resources than traditional media companies, even as they compete for attention on the same platforms.

Through the Growth Lab, participants will collaborate with Google trainers and product specialists across four core areas aimed at addressing those structural challenges.

The first focus area is the application of artificial intelligence in newsroom operations. Participants will receive hands-on training with tools including Gemini, NotebookLM, Google Trends, and SynthID — Google's digital watermarking technology designed to identify AI-generated content — covering functions such as research, transcription, translation, and verification.

A second area centres on video and audience growth, with participants developing strategies to leverage YouTube Shorts and long-form video content to expand their reach.

The programme also emphasises building direct relationships with audiences through newsletters and the open web, enabling publishers to cultivate first-party audiences rather than depending solely on social platforms for distribution. This push for direct audience relationships comes as changes to platform algorithms and content policies have repeatedly disrupted traffic to independent publishers globally.

Revenue generation is another key component, with sessions covering monetisation, product differentiation, and strategies for developing sustainable audience-based business models. The emphasis reflects a wider challenge facing independent newsrooms across emerging markets, where digital advertising rates tend to be lower and subscription adoption remains limited.

The Growth Lab originated from the Global News Gap Project, a research effort conducted in partnership with Project Oasis and Code for Africa to better understand the needs of independent news creators across the continent.

Marianne Erasmus, who leads Google's News Partnerships for the Middle East and Africa, said the programme equips emerging newsrooms with practical skills in areas including AI, video production, audience development, and revenue generation.

Wale Lawal, founder and editor-in-chief of The Republic, said the programme is helping his publication integrate audience insights, product thinking, and responsible AI use to support a more sustainable journalism model.

Nasir Achile Ahmed, editor-in-chief and co-founder of More Branches TV, said the initiative has provided the newsroom with new tools, practical resources, and access to experts and fellow journalists.

Google noted that this programme is part of its broader, ongoing support for Nigerian media. Since 2018, the company has funded newsroom improvement projects through the Google News Initiative and has assisted publishers with monetisation through programmes such as the Ad Manager Academy. Since 2024, Google has trained more than 1,500 Nigerian journalists and editors in areas including online safety, search, digital verification, and audience analytics.

The new programme underscores Google's growing focus on supporting smaller, creator-led news organisations as digital platforms continue to reshape how audiences discover and consume news.