The right to freedom of expression is often abused in West African countries. Even though there are constitutional guarantees backing this right, expression (including activism and protests) is often attacked with the aim of cowing people into silence.
In December 2025, however, the freedom of expression environment in the region was relatively better as attacks against expression were significantly less compared to the frequency of attacks recorded in preceding months. Two freedom of expression violations were recorded in Nigeria and Senegal and two freedom of expression developments in Niger and Senegal.
While the violations reported and the developments observed negatively impact the freedom of expression space in the respective countries and the region at last, reparation and justice for violations bolster confidence for expression and ensures an engaging civic space. In the month under review, five of these remedial actions were recorded.
This December 2025 report, put together by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), with support from the 11th Hour Project of The Schmidt Family Foundation, seeks to draw attention to the freedom of expression situation in West Africa, provide evidence for advocacy and policy interventions. Access the report below.
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