This article was contributed to TechCabal by Damilola Ayeni.
Tech journalism today looks more like business reporting than storytelling. Funding rounds, acquisitions, expansions, and layoffs dominate the headlines everywhere you look. In recent months, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has appeared in tech and business papers for cutting its main lending rate by 25 basis points to 7.50%. This news, reported by platforms like Reuters, TechCabal, Bloomberg, and TechCentral, reflects the intertwined nature of business and technology reporting, but nearly every other tech story follows the same pattern. And that’s the problem. One can hardly tell a tech publication apart from a business paper just by reading its content. While business media naturally cover tech as part of the broader economy, tech media should not be stuck in this narrow frame. Reducing tech journalism to business updates is like reporting on food solely through the lens of agribusiness while ignoring its nutritional, cultural, and social dimensions. A consequence of this approach is that tech publications compete for the same audience of tech professionals and enthusiasts rather than expanding readerships by exploring intersections with culture, religion, agriculture, health, and everyday life.
Technology is the application of scientific knowledge to solve human challenges. From the simple creation of a machete for farming to the complexity of artificial intelligence, it intersects with every area of human life. Within each intersection, there is evolution and conflict. Farming technology, for example, has evolved from machetes to chainsaws, lawnmowers, and fully automated harvesting machines. This evolution brings stories of progress, user adaptation, market competition, conflict of options, and the influence of external factors on tech choices. Take King Charles III’s recent opening of a new parliamentary session. The horse-drawn carriage was an early form of transport that evolved into modern automobiles. Yet, Charles chose it over the Bentleys and Rolls-Royces in his fleet. This single decision tells a tech story about the influence of tradition on innovation, about symbolic resistance to technological advancement, and about how even in an age of hypermodernity, legacy technologies persist. But who is telling these stories?
Beyond the royal carriage, there are countless everyday examples of technology’s enduring intersections with culture. In Lagos, workers commute daily in age-defying Danfo buses, kept running by a hidden network of skilled mechanics. There are tech stories in the rise of YouTube churches and the digitisation of religious practices. There is a tech story in the polarised nature of public discourse on Nigerian X (formerly Twitter), sexual exploitation on social media platforms, and the real-world consequences of online misinformation. There is a tech story in the accidents caused by phone-distracted drivers and the migration of life onto smartphones.
Even in the tech business, coverage doesn’t have to be dull. Patronising updates about funding rounds and acquisitions ignore the realities of corruption, data manipulation, and employee exploitation in the industry. Reporting on startup failures should go beyond statistics to explore their human cost—how does the collapse of 70% of Nigerian startups intersect with rising mental health challenges among young people, who are mostly the founders of these businesses?
Journalists are also missing the intersection between technology and cultural shifts. Consider cancel culture, a phenomenon born out of digital connectivity. Social media is reshaping religious authority, as once-revered figures now face unprecedented scrutiny online. In today’s digital age, influence is no longer measured in church pews. Abel Damina, a pastor with a modest physical following, seems to command greater online authority than some of the general overseers of Nigeria’s largest mega-churches. Who’s telling the stories of those caught in the wheels of this change? Journalists themselves struggle to maintain relevance in an era where social media personalities command larger audiences than traditional media houses. Where is the story on how social media is eroding journalism’s influence and the everyday struggle of journalists for relevance?
Technology is more than boardroom deals and venture capital. It is embedded in everyday life, shaping how people communicate, worship, move, and even think. Yet, tech journalism remains largely stagnant, trapped in business reports that fail to capture the full scope of its subject. In 2023, Twitter was a political force. It nearly delivered Nigeria a president in Peter Obi. But tech journalism largely ignored the story. How did social media shape the elections? How do online movements translate into real-world votes? Why didn’t Obi’s online dominance convert into an outright victory? These are the questions tech journalists should be asking.
Maiduguri’s recent floods were devastating, yet tech journalists missed the human story. Many who were trapped likely used mobile phones to call for help. Some may have relied on WhatsApp groups, Twitter, or Facebook to coordinate rescue efforts. But did poor telecom infrastructure slow down emergency response? Did people turn to satellite technology or alternative networks when regular signals failed? These are real tech stories, but they don’t make it to the headlines.
A publication that covers how social media is reshaping religious authority or how technology influences cultural practices isn’t just informing tech insiders; it’s attracting sociologists, policymakers, religious scholars, and everyday readers who see their lives reflected in these stories. With greater reach comes greater impact. And with greater impact come the metrics that attract advertisers and investors. A tech journalist has no business being stuck in spreadsheets and press releases when there’s a criminally under-explored content pool. If you’re a tech journalist, your beat isn’t just business; it’s everything. Go and tell those stories.
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Damilola Ayeni is the former editor of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).
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I am the CEO of 9JAGISTLAND.My name is Adedeji Timothy and my co-owner is Oyekola Damilare.This blog is born out of our passion to educating to people in all aspect of internet life.We are enthusiastic about writing posts and articles online.
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