Diffusion of Innovations and the Adoption of Digital Reporting Tools by Nigerian Journalists

This study applies diffusion of innovations theory to examine the adoption of digital reporting tools (data visualisation software, social media verification tools, drone journalism, and mobile journalism apps) among Nigerian journalists, identifying adoption patterns, influencing factors, and implications for reporting quality. The digital transformation of journalism has produced an expanding toolkit of reporting technologies, but adoption rates among Nigerian journalists are unclear, and the theoretical mechanisms driving adoption in the Nigerian context have not been empirically studied. This study uses a nationally representative survey of 340 journalists from all six geopolitical zones and across media types, combined with in-depth interviews with 25 early and late adopters of specific digital tools. Rogers's diffusion of innovations framework is applied to characterise the adoption curve and identify the role of innovation attributes (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability) in explaining adoption decisions. Social system and communication channel variables are also examined. Findings reveal that mobile journalism apps show the highest adoption rate (64 percent have used them), followed by social media verification tools (47 percent), with data visualisation software (22 percent) and drone journalism (8 percent) showing much lower adoption. Complexity and perceived relative advantage are the strongest innovation attributes predicting adoption across all tool categories. Peer network influence is a stronger adoption driver than formal training in all cases. Northern Nigerian journalists show lower adoption rates across most tools, attributable to connectivity and equipment access barriers. The study contributes original diffusion of innovations evidence for the Nigerian journalism context and recommends peer-to-peer digital journalism learning networks and connectivity support.

Keywords: diffusion of innovations, digital tools, Nigerian journalists, technology adoption, journalism practice.