An international media lobby group has raised concern over the deteriorating state of press freedom in Africa, noting that conditions have rarely been as strained as they are now in sub-Saharan Africa a region grappling with overlapping crises, from political instability in the Great Lakes to military rule in the Sahel and ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Reporters Without Borders links the declining press freedom record across much of sub-Saharan Africa to a combination of armed conflict, the criminalisation of journalism, and worsening economic conditions, all of which have collectively accelerated the erosion of media independence.
In its latest State of Press Freedom report for 2026, launched on Thursday, April 30, the lobby group describes the situation in sub-Saharan Africa as “difficult” in 24 of the region’s 48 countries, and “very serious” in five. The Index evaluates 180 countries and territories globally, offering a comparative measure of media freedom trends.
Once considered a relative leader in press freedom within the region, Tanzania has dropped 22 places to position 117, signalling a marked deterioration in journalists’ working conditions and access to information, as legislation becomes increasingly restrictive.
At the bottom of the Index, Eritrea remains ranked 180th for the third consecutive year, reflecting its systematic denial of citizens’ right to information and its continued suppression of independent journalism.
This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the arbitrary detention of one of the world’s longest-held journalists, Dawit Isaak, who remains imprisoned alongside colleagues Temesgen Ghebreyesus, Seyoum Tsehaye, and Amanuel Asrat an enduring symbol of the country’s repression of the press.
Other poorly ranked countries in the region include Rwanda (139th), Ethiopia (148th), Sudan (161st), and Djibouti (167th), underscoring a broader regional pattern of constrained media environments.
“There is a clear trend of national security and cybersecurity laws being weaponised against journalists,” the report notes, attributing this to shrinking civic space and the manipulation of legal frameworks by military-led governments, particularly in the Sahel.
In Niger, ranked 120th, the country fell by 37 places—the steepest decline in the 2026 Index. Mali (121st) dropped two positions, while Burkina Faso (110th) declined by five.
These trends reflect what appears to be increasingly coordinated repression of the press across countries in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), where military regimes have resorted to arbitrary detention of journalists on charges such as “spreading false information,” “undermining national credibility,” or “disseminating reports likely to disturb public order.”
At least six journalists are currently detained in Niger, one in Mali, while two Serge Oulon and Moussa Sareba remain missing in Burkina Faso.
These developments are compounded by the suspension of media outlets, as authorities attempt to control public narratives.
Benin, traditionally a mid-ranking country in the Index, dropped 21 places to position 113, signalling a concerning shift.
“This downturn is a warning sign in a country that has just elected a new president,” the report observes.
Former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni recently secured a landslide victory in the presidential election, succeeding Patrice Talon.
Under President Talon’s administration, media repression had intensified. The founder of the online platform Olofofo, Hugues Comlan Sossoukpè, was abducted and “extradited” from Ivory Coast (ranked 54th), before being detained on accusations of being a “dangerous cyberactivist who advocates terrorism.”
The report further highlights a pattern in the Great Lakes region, where journalists are frequently jailed under the guise of national security. This is evident in cases such as Stanis Bujakera in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (ranked 130th), as well as Floriane Irangabiye and several journalists from the outlet Iwacu in Burundi.
In Rwanda, two media professionals remain in detention, including Théoneste Nsengimana, who faces charges of “inciting unrest” a reflection of how legal frameworks are increasingly being used to curtail press freedoms.
