A rise in speech-related arrests in Ghana and the detention of journalists in Mali are the latest signs of growing pressure on media and public expression across parts of the continent, creating new considerations for communicators, campaign teams and public affairs professionals.
Ghana has recorded 14 arrests linked to false news and offensive speech in less than 16 months, nearly double the number from the previous administration’s entire eight-year tenure, according to the Media Foundation for West Africa.
In Mali, rights groups this week denounced the detention of two journalists in the latest crackdown on press freedom across the Sahel, where military-led governments are systematically narrowing the space for independent reporting.
In Nigeria, extremist groups are actively exploiting TikTok and other digital platforms to spread propaganda exposing a widening digital governance gap that puts brands and communicators at risk by association.
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- Ghana → Al Jazeera
- Mali → AP News
- Nigeria → Premium Times