Abidjan.net was suspended for a period of twenty-six (26) days by the National Press Authority (ANP) on Saturday, October 25, 2025. The sanction followed the “publication of alleged presidential election results.”
On the eve of the presidential election in Côte d’Ivoire, the website Abidjan.net uploaded, in the afternoon, estimated election results even before the voting day. The detailed data, broken down by polling station, were published just one day before the elections.
The website issued an apology the same day, explaining that the incident was due to a display error on its platform dedicated to tracking the 2025 presidential election results. According to Abidjan.net, a technical malfunction that occurred during internal testing of the platform, a routine procedure before each election, caused the temporary display of this information on the homepage. The website clarified that, since the election had not yet taken place, this data did not constitute real or official results in any way.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) responded immediately, stating that it was in no way involved in this publication. In a statement dated October 7, 2025, the CEI reminded the nation that, in accordance with Article 39 of the Electoral Code, it is strictly prohibited for all media print and online to publish or broadcast vote projections or polls before the election.
Following this incident, the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) filed a complaint against Abidjan.net and prohibited the outlet from covering the 2025 presidential election across all its areas of jurisdiction on election day, October 25, a measure that was made public.
In an extraordinary session held on October 25, 2025, the National Press Authority (ANP) Council decided to suspend the Digital Information Production (PIN) “Abidjan.net” immediately for a period of twenty-six (26) days. According to the ANP, this publication constitutes a clear violation of several applicable laws, including Article 31 of the Press Law, Article 2 of the Ivorian Journalists’ Code of Ethics, Article 39 of the Electoral Code, and Article 9 of Decision No. 004/ANP/2025 of October 2, 2025.
The ANP considered the publication to be “clearly likely to disturb the calm of the electoral process, undermine the credibility of the vote, and erode public confidence in the institutions responsible for its organization.” Consequently, the Council, chaired by Samba Koné, invoked Articles 77 and 101 of the Press Legal Framework, ordering Abidjan.net to halt all journalistic activities across its platforms for the duration of the sanction.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) urges regulatory authorities to prioritise proportionate and constructive measures, while reminding media actors of their duty to exercise diligence and responsibility in reporting, particularly during election periods.
