Nigeria’s digital media ecosystem recorded a 26.2 per cent decline in readership traffic in 2025, reflecting a major shift in news consumption driven by artificial intelligence (AI).

This was made known in the SquirrelPR Ranked 2026 Report released on Monday.

The report revealed that total readership across Nigerian digital platforms fell from over 1.04 billion visits in 2024 to 769 million in 2025.

It, however, noted that the decline reflects a structural shift rather than reduced relevance, as AI-powered search tools increasingly provide direct answers without requiring users to visit publisher websites.

Mr. Jonah Solomon, Co-founder of SquirrelPR, said the traditional click-driven model of digital media was rapidly losing ground.

“The old model of digital media was built on clicks. That model is breaking down.

“Today, influence is defined by authority, trust, and the ability to shape conversations even when users don’t click through,” he said.

Commenting, Mr. Keni Akintoye, the Chief Executive Officer and Lead Strategist at KT Communication, said the development marked a fundamental shift in how influence is created and measured.

“Influence has not declined, it has evolved. People are still consuming content, but increasingly without arriving at the source.

“In that reality, traffic is no longer a complete measure of relevance. Trust is,” he said.

Also, Mr. Múyiwa Mátuluko, the Chief Executive Officer of Businessfront, urged media organisations to prioritise depth and relevance over volume.

Mr. Olufemi Ajasa, Online Editor of Vanguard, emphasised the importance of credibility and quality journalism in sustaining relevance.

Ms. Damilola Bright-Ukwenga, a communication professional, highlighted the growing influence of content creators and micro-influencers in shaping public narratives.

According to the report, media platforms are increasingly functioning as sources of authority within a broader information ecosystem, where credibility determines visibility and amplification in AI-driven environments.

It identified domain authority and credibility as emerging key indicators of influence, with high-authority platforms maintaining dominance in digital discovery.

The report noted that legacy news platforms still lead in traffic and remain central to the information ecosystem powering search and AI systems.

It added that while business media is gaining traction through specialised and insight-driven content, technology media faces greater pressure from AI summarisation tools.

However, entertainment and lifestyle platforms were found to be more resilient due to their cultural appeal and audience engagement.

The report concluded that traffic alone was no longer a sufficient metric for measuring performance, calling for a more strategic, authority-driven approach to media visibility.