10 African countries with more progressive press freedoms

The World Press Freedom Index is released every year to compare the level of liberty enjoyed by journalists in 180 countries and territories. In 2023, Kenya was ranked number 12 in Africa for its respect of press freedom. In 2024, according to the latest index by Reporters Without Borders, the country was ranked 29th in the continent and 102 globally, writes Harriet James

1. Mauritania

Mauritania is Africa’s best country according to the report when it comes to press freedom. The country has various laws that safeguard journalists including the decriminalisation of press offences in 2011. A law passed in 2006 and amended in 2011 strengthened press freedom and incorporated general principles on information access and source protection. Though journalists are rarely the victims of physical violence, they may be subjected to verbal attacks and harassment campaigns on social media. Sadly, journalists in this country are poorly paid making them susceptible to political influence.

2. Namibia

The media landscape is diverse in Namibia with the rise of many channels, giving the populace options on where to access their information. Journalists are also free to work without interference from the authorities. For instance, in 2019, the Namibian and the international TV news channel Al Jazeera exposed corruption cases of government ministers, the police and businessmen, which resulted in their arrest. But in 2020, some media outlets were barred from the government’s press briefings on the Covid-19 pandemic and several freelance journalists complained that some of their social media posts had been removed. It was against this background that a Namibian journalists’ union was created in 2021, the first since independence.

3. Seychelles

The island nation has dropped to number three in Africa this year. It was ranked first in 2023, thanks to the decriminalisation of defamation, which consequently removed one of the biggest obstacles to journalists effectively doing their work. In addition, the survey also highlighted that the country is one of the rare ones where most journalists were women.

4. South Africa

The South African media landscape is sturdy, diverse and dynamic. Media outlets do not hesitate to reveal scandals involving powerful figures. However, in recent years, journalists have often been subjected to verbal attacks from political leaders and activists. In 2021, the Constitutional Court ordered changes to the law on intercepting communications in order to safeguard the confidentiality of journalists’ phone conversations and sources. Many news websites have added paywalls, and this has resulted in restricted access to online news articles for a segment of the population that cannot afford to pay. Very high operating costs hold back the development of small, independent media outlets, which have been decimated by the worst economic downturn in decades resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

5. Carbo Verde

The country stands out in the region for its legal framework for journalists in that journalists are allowed to report freely. However, an article in the code of criminal procedure adopted in 2005 allows anyone, including journalists, to be charged with violating the secrecy of judicial investigations. This law caused no issues until January 2022, when three journalists from privately owned media outlets were interrogated for that reason. Cape Verde maintains a culture of secrecy, with the government not hesitating to restrict access to information of public interest.

Although the law that guarantees pluralism allows all political parties to have a voice in the media, the reality is somewhat less clear-cut. Privately owned media’s growth is curbed by a limited advertising market and the absence of state subsidies for broadcast companies. But unlike in most other African countries, women account for about 70 per cent of newsroom employees in Cape Verde.

6. Ghana

Although the country is considered a regional leader in democratic stability, journalists have experienced growing pressures in recent years. To protect their jobs and their security, they increasingly resort to self-censorship, as the government shows itself intolerant of criticism. In addition, one third of media outlets are owned by politicians or by people tied to the top political parties. The content they produce is largely partisan.

7. Cote d’Ivore

Conditions for the press have improved since the end of the 2010-11 conflict and cases of serious violence against journalists are rare. In spite of this, journalists face intimidation and occasional violence by security forces in connection with their work. This was particularly seen during the 2020 elections where many journalists were arrested, detained, and beaten by police while covering protests and violence. Most national media sources, especially newspapers, exhibit partisanship in their news coverage, consistently favouring either the government or the opposition. Press freedom is still closely tied to the political environment.

8. Gabon

On his day of re-election after the coup d’état of August 30, 2023, that ousted President Ali Bongo, Gen Brice Nguema announced his intention to help “the press to do its job.” Despite this announcement, a free and independent press is yet to be a reality specifically because of the media regulator’s heavy-handed sanctions. Currently, there are now more than 60 print media outlets, of which L’Union, the only national daily, is the most prominent. When it comes to laws, there is freedom of expression enshrined in Gabon’s constitution, and the 2016 communication law abolished prison sentences for press offences. However, despite the laws, police still summon journalists for questioning under the penal code. Article 55 of the organic law governing the High Authority for Communication (HAC) is misused and gives its president the possibility to sanction a media outlet without bringing together all nine HAC members.

9. Mauritius

The country may be hailed as one of the models of democracy in Africa, but it has a highly polarised media landscape. The country’s legal framework does not protect journalists. For instance, in 2021, a controversial media regulation law was adopted. It threatens the confidentiality of journalists’ sources, tightens restrictions on radio stations, and increases penalties for journalists. Since 2018, under amendments to the Information and Communication Technologies Act, posting content that could cause “inconvenience, distress or anxiety” is punishable by imprisonment. Certain laws left over from the colonial period, such as the Official Secrets Act, are still in force, and government officials can be jailed for providing sensitive information to journalists.

10. Gambia

Following the 22-year reign of dictator Yahya Jammeh, Gambia has seen considerable progress in terms of press freedom. Since President Adama Barrow was inaugurated in December 2016, the state-owned broadcaster lost its monopoly, and many radio and TV networks, both private and community-based, emerged. The crime of defamation was declared unconstitutional in 2018, attacks on journalists have decreased, and new media outlets have been launched. In addition, a law on access to information was adopted in 2021, a historic moment in a country which, for the first time, recognised information access as a human right.