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Globally, press freedom is under serious threat. The World Press Freedom Day, marked on May 3 every year, aims at assessing the state of media independence worldwide. It serves as a wake-up call on governments to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of remembrance for journalists who have lost their lives and those who face harassment and detention in the course of doing their duties.
The 2026 World Press Freedom Day, with the theme, “Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Security”, highlighted the dangers journalists faced worldwide, including increased threats to safety and security. Nigeria has a significant share of these threats to journalists’ safety. In the 2026 World Press Freedom Index released by the Paris-based non-governmental organization, Reporters Without Border (RSF), Nigeria scored 48.11 to emerge 112th out of 180 countries assessed. It ranked 12th in Africa. This is even an improvement from the 2025 ranking of 122nd.
In Africa, some of the countries ahead of Nigeria are South Africa, which ranked 21st in the world; Namibia (23rd); Seychelles (35th) Ghana (39th); Cabo Verde (40th); Mauritius (42nd); and Gambia (46th). Globally, Norway, the Netherlands, Estonia, Denmark and Sweden top the 2026 index list. The five countries at the bottom of the table are Saudi Arabia (176th), Iran (177th), China (178th), North Korea (179th) and Eritrea (180th).
Nigeria is among the countries that fall into the “difficult category” for press freedom. This makes it one of West Africa’s most dangerous countries for journalists. Security agents often attack, arrest, and detain media workers for doing their duties. In 2024, about 30 journalists were assaulted, arrested or targeted during protests. As of April 2026, six journalists are reportedly being detained in Nigeria.
Dataphyte reported that between 2013 and May 2026, over 1,000 incidents involving journalists had been reported. They include equipment seizures, denial of access to events, kidnapping, killings, harassment, threats, physical assaults, and unlawful arrests and detention. In 2025 alone, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) estimated that 128 journalists were killed worldwide. It said it had recorded 3,173 deaths worldwide since 1990 and the launch of its annual Killed List. Israel’s war in Gaza has particularly become a death trap for the media.
In Nigeria, a number of citizens and organizations have expressed concern over the growing attacks on journalists. Among them are the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The United Nations also voiced concerns over these growing attacks on journalists. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said globally, about 330 media workers were being detained along with some 500 citizen journalists and human rights bloggers. According to him, over 300 journalists have been killed since October 2023 with many more injured. He urged states to end the persecution of the press, protect journalists from surveillance, and repeal abusive laws.
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Laws on defamation and the Cybercrime Act 2015 have frequently been used to haunt, intimidate and silence journalists in Nigeria. Among the journalists detained for allegedly violating the Cybercrimes Act is Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) abducted on May 1, 2024 by the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector-General of Police.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) also engages in stifling press freedom. Recently, the NBC warned presenters and anchors against alleged bias, expressing personal opinion as facts, bullying of guests and breach of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. It threatened to enforce strict compliance with all provisions of the code and apply regulatory sanctions to inflammatory or unsubstantiated broadcasts.
In March 2019, the NBC imposed N500,000 fine on each of some 45 broadcast stations for alleged breach of the NBC code. In 2023, it imposed a N5 million fine on Channels Television for airing what it considered an inciting interview with the vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Yusuf Baba-Ahmed. It had similarly imposed a fine of N5 million on each of some broadcast stations for allegedly televising a documentary on terrorism and banditry in Nigeria in 2022.
We condemn the killing of journalists worldwide and loathe the detention of journalists through defamation and cybercrime laws in Nigeria. Democracy will suffer in an atmosphere of press repression.
Press Freedom is enshrined in the Constitution. Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) empowers the media to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people. Also, Section 39(1) of the same constitution protects the freedom of expression in Nigeria. Some international conventions such as Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) also protect the rights of journalists to perform their duties without molestation.
Government should be concerned about the low ranking of Nigeria in the World Press Freedom rating. It should heed the calls to protect journalists. The watchdog role of the media should not be circumscribed in anyway.
