EMERGING TRENDS IN NEW TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA PRODUCTION: A NIGERIAN PERSPECTIVE

The rapid evolution of digital technologies has transformed the global media landscape, with profound implications for content creation, distribution, and consumption. In Nigeria, a country with a vibrant media and creative industry, emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud production, extended reality (XR), blockchain, and mobile journalism are beginning to reshape the operations of both traditional and digital media outlets. This article explores the foundations, assumptions and key concepts driving these innovations; as well as their current and potential applications within Nigerian media production. Through a review of scholarly literature, case studies, and publicly available reports, the study highlights how media organizations such as Channels TV, Arise News, BBC Africa Eye, and Nollywood production companies are incorporating these technologies to improve efficiency, interactivity and audience engagement. The article also examines how these trends contribute to the ongoing information explosion, raising new concerns about misinformation, content oversaturation and digital ethics. While these innovations hold transformative potential, limitations such as infrastructural deficits, digital illiteracy and regulatory gaps persist. This article concludes by discussing the implications of these trends for the future of media work in Nigeria and offers recommendations for stakeholders in media, education, and policy. This article aims to contribute to the growing body of scholarship on media technology and African digital transformation, situating Nigeria within broader global shifts in media production.

 

Keywords: New Media, Emerging Technologies, Nigerian Media, 5G, Cloud Production, Artificial Intelligence, Mobile Journalism, XR, Blockchain