May 11
Gambia: Police Arrest 15 Activists At Anti-Corruption Group's Anniversary Celebration
The Gambia Police Force has arrested 15 anti-corruption activists from the group Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) on Friday, May 8, 2026, after they gathered inside the Youth… Read more »
West Africa: Media Regulator Suspends Nine French Outlets
Just one week after World Press Freedom Day 2026, Niger's authorities have intensified restrictions on the media landscape with the suspension of nine French international media… Read more »
May 07
West Africa: Wpfd 2026 - MFWA Founder Calls for Passage of Ghana's Stalled Broadcast Bill
The founder of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Prof. Kwame Karikari, has renewed calls for the imperative of a broadcasting law in Ghana, warning that the continued… Read more »
May 05
Nigeria: Nigeria - Police Arrest 13 Suspects in Relation to Attack On Journalist
Investigative journalist Allwell Ene of Megaletrics Media Group was attacked by a group of men in the Garrison Junction area of Port Harcourt, on April 13, 2026, while… Read more »
April 30
West Africa: Guinea - Regulator Suspends TV Show, Two Presenters Over Alleged Electoral Code Breaches
On April 23, 2026, the High Authority for Communication (HAC), Guinea's media regulatory body, suspended the TV show Guinea Today, aired on Télé 24, and two of its… Read more »
April 25
Cote d'Ivoire: Mayor Charged After Alleging Ruling Party Stole His Election Victory
Assalé Tiémoko Antoine, mayor of Tiassalé, was taken into custody following an interrogation by police which lasted for nearly 14 hours in Abidjan on April 22,… Read more »
April 23
West Africa: MFWA Defends Payroll Fraud Report By the Fourth Estate
We publish the statement below, issued by our solicitors, A-Partners @ Law, in response to the public commentary and threats of legal action that have followed a recent report by… Read more »
April 22
West Africa: MFWA Fellowships - Incubator for Producing Award Winning Journalists in West Africa
When the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) launched the Next Generation Investigative Journalism (NGIJ) Fellowship in 2021, the vision was clear: equip and empower young,… Read more »
April 15
Sierra Leone: Opposition Flagbearer Aspirant Sentenced to Four Years Imprisonment
On April 14, 2026, Zainab Sheriff, Chairperson of the Wi Duti civic movement and a flagbearer aspirant of the opposition All People's Congress (APC), was sentenced to four years… Read more »
April 10
West Africa: Hospital's Repeated Non-Compliance Delays Inquest Into Death of Journalist
Coroner Magistrate Temitope Oladele, who is presiding over the inquest into the death of journalist Pelumi Onifade, on April 7, 2026, directed the Chief Medical Director of the… Read more »
April 08
West Africa: Minister Says He 'Would Have Shot' Journalist Over One-Party State Comments
Nigeria's Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on April 3, 2026, stated during a media chat (an informal engagement between a public official and… Read more »
West Africa: Assault of Paul Kamara - Wanamdel Commends Sierra Leone Police Leadership On Swift Action
The West Africa Network of Activists and Media Defence Lawyers (WANAMDEL) has welcomed recent steps taken by the Sierra Leone Police following the assault of its member, Paul… Read more »
April 07
Mauritania: Authorities Crack Down On Protest Against Rising Transport Fares
On April 5, 2026, police in Nouakchott dispersed a protest against rising fuel prices using tear gas. The demonstration, organised by the president of the Renouveau du Mouvement… Read more »
March 31
West Africa: New Media Regulator Law Raises Press Freedom Concerns
Senegal's National Assembly on March 3, 2026, adopted a new law establishing the National Media Regulatory Council (CNRM), marking a significant shift in the country's media… Read more »
March 30
West Africa: Prolonged Ban On Journalist From Parliament Concerning, MFWA Calls for Reinstatement
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is concerned about the continued ban on journalist Melvin Mansaray, which has now lasted for over a year. Mansaray was indefinitely… Read more »
March 26
West Africa: Journalist Sentenced to Two Years' Imprisonment for 'Insulting' Niger's President
Youssouf Sissoko, editor-in-chief of the newspaper L'Alternance in Mali, was sentenced on March 23, 2026, by the National Cybercrime Court to two years' imprisonment and ordered to… Read more »
March 20
West Africa: Senegal - TV Host Jailed for Reposting Caricature of President On Facebook
Daouda Ndiaye, also known as Daouda Wally, a journalist with Feeling Dakar TV, was sentenced on March 16, 2026, to two months' imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 CFA francs (about… Read more »
March 13
West Africa: Nigeria - Journalist Alleges Assault By Local Government Chairman During Coverage
Habeeb Adejobi, a reporter with Lagos-based MITV, has accused the Chairman of Kosofe Local Government Area, Moyosore Ogunlewe, of orchestrating an assault against him while he was… Read more »
March 12
West Africa: Opposition Flagbearer Aspirant Denied Bail for the Fourth Time
Zainab Sheriff, a flagbearer aspirant of the opposition All People's Congress (APC) and chairperson of the "Wi Duti Lappa" movement, remains in detention after being charged with… Read more »
West Africa: Dissolution of Political Parties Deepens Democratic Erosion
Burkina Faso's transitional authorities have taken a decisive step that could reshape the country's political landscape. On February 9, 2026, members of Burkina Faso's Transitional… Read more »
March 11
West Africa: 'Exile Must Not Become the Norm' - West African Journalists Warn
In recent years, democracy in West Africa has faced serious setbacks. Countries in the Sahel region, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, and others like Guinea and Guinea-Bissau have… Read more »
March 09
West Africa: Coroner Orders Hospital to Account for Body Linked to Slain Journalist in 14 Days
A coroner's court sitting in Lagos has ordered the Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to submit, within 14 days, a report on the… Read more »
March 08
West Africa: Rights. Justice. Action - Time to Act On the Safety of Female Journalists in Ghana
On the occasion of the 2026 International Women's Day celebration, the Media Foundation for West Africa's (MFWA) Programme Assistant for Media for Democracy and Good Governance,… Read more »
March 05
West Africa: 30 Journalists Trained in Data Journalism, Fact-Checking to Strengthen Anti-Corruption Reporting
Thirty journalists from Ashanti, Greater Accra, and the five Northern regions of Ghana have completed a three-day intensive training on data journalism and fact-checking aimed at… Read more »
West Africa: International Women's Day 2026 - We Must Safeguard Women Against Online Gender-Based Violence
The rise in internet penetration across West Africa has expanded the digital public sphere and created new opportunities for women's participation and leadership in the pursuit of… Read more »
