Nigerian Military Junta Suspends Nine French Media Outlets Amid Press Freedom Crackdown
Reporters Without Borders condemns the move as part of a coordinated strategy within the Alliance of Sahel States to repress dissent and sever ties with Western allies.
The National Communication Observatory (ONC) has declared an immediate suspension of nine French media organisations in Niger, enforcing the ban across satellite packages, cable networks, digital platforms, websites, and mobile applications. The government justified the action by citing the repeated dissemination of content likely to seriously jeopardise public order, national unity, social cohesion, and the stability of the institutions of the Republic.
The suspended outlets include France 24, Radio France Internationale (RFI), Agence France-Presse (AFP), TV5 Monde, TF1 Info, Jeune Afrique, Mediapart, France Afrique Media, and LSI Africa. This specific targeting of French entities follows the military government's strategic pivot away from its former colonial power and Western allies towards defence partnerships with Russia.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the decision as an abusive measure and part of a coordinated strategy to repress press freedom within the Alliance of Sahel States. The watchdog noted that Niger, alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, are all ruled by military governments that have regularly denounced France's imperialism to assert their sovereignty.
The crackdown occurs against a backdrop of severe restrictions on information since the military seized power in July 2023, toppling democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. While France 24 and RFI were suspended shortly after the coup, the BBC was suspended in December 2024, and nearly 3,000 local and foreign NGOs were suspended in 2025.
Domestic press freedom has also deteriorated significantly, with Niger dropping 37 places in the RSF World Press Freedom Index to rank 120th out of 180 countries. Local journalists have faced detention for allegedly undermining national defence or conspiring against state authority, with six currently held in custody while two were recently released after months of imprisonment.
In late 2023, Niger requested the withdrawal of thousands of French troops, initiating a shift in defence partnerships that has led to the severing of ties with Paris. In 2024, leaders in Niamey strengthened laws criminalising the digital dissemination of data likely to disturb public order, providing the legal framework for the current suspensions.
