A new report has found that press freedom and safety of journalists in three West African countries— Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger— have worsened over the last year due to legal restrictions, surveillance and intimidation.
The report, titled “The Sahel: The State of the Media 2025-2026“, was published by the Whistleblowers, Activists and Journalists Safety International Center (WAJSIC).
WAJSIC produced the report in collaboration with journalists from Sahel Horizon. The study covers the three countries in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
In a press release issued Tuesday, 28 July 2026, WAJSIC said the report was based on field research, interviews and document analysis. According to the report, governments in the three countries are increasingly using laws, administrative measures, digital surveillance, economic pressure and intimidation against media workers.
It also highlights the growing number of journalists forced into exile, the collapse of independent media institutions, and changes in the region’s information space. Despite this, the report notes that many journalists are finding ways to keep working and serve the public.
The report makes practical recommendations for media houses, international partners and groups that support independent journalism in the Sahel.
“By publishing this report, WAJSIC seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the profound transformations affecting the media landscape in the Central Sahel,” the organisation said.
It added that the goal was to encourage dialogue on protecting journalists and ensuring citizens had access to reliable information.
The full report was made public on Tuesday, 28 July 2026. It can be read and downloaded on the WAJSIC website, www.wajsic.com, and on the Sahel Horizon website, www.sahelhorizon.com.
WAJSIC thanked the journalists and researchers who contributed to the study “under exceptionally difficult circumstances.”
About WAJSIC
Founded in 2021 by Africa’s foremost investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, WAJSIC is an international organisation headquartered in Ghana’s capital, Accra.
The organisation works to protect journalists, activists, whistleblowers, anti-corruption actors, investigative reporters and human rights defenders facing persecution, intimidation and security threats across Africa.
It provides emergency relocation, safe housing, legal aid, digital security and other support to media professionals at risk.
Source: Edward Adeti/Media Without Borders/mwbonline.org/Ghana/West Africa
