Niger Suspends Nine French Media Outlets Over Public Order Threats
Niger, governed by a junta opposed to Western influence, has suspended the activities of nine French media outlets deemed capable of threatening public order.
A communiqué broadcast on state television states that the suspended media have repeatedly aired content that could undermine public order, national unity, and institutional stability in Niger.
The suspended outlets include France 24, Radio France Internationale, France Afrique Média, LSI Africa, Agence France-Presse, TV5 Monde, TF1 Info, Jeune Afrique, and Mediapart.
The suspension takes effect immediately and applies to all platforms, including satellite packages, cable networks, and mobile applications.
RFI and France 24 had already been suspended shortly after the coup in July 2023 that brought the junta to power.
In December 2024, the BBC was also suspended.
Broadcast Bans in Burkina Faso and Mali
Authorities in Burkina Faso, an ally of Niger, also banned the broadcast of TV5 Monde, accusing the channel of disinformation and justifying terrorism.
Mali, plagued by jihadist attacks, has also banned French media.
Niger's decision comes just days before an important summit between France and African countries in Kenya, from which none of the junta-led countries will participate.
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Anti-French sentiments are rising in some former African colonies amid increasing influence from Russia and China in the region.
Press Freedom in Free Fall
Since the new regime took power in Niger following the July 2023 coup, several Western media outlets have been suspended. The country has begun to sever ties with France, achieving the withdrawal of French troops.
Authorities have turned to other partners, including Russia, and regularly denounce "imperialism," asserting their "sovereignty."
Nigerien journalists are also becoming targets of the junta. This week, two Nigerien journalists were released after spending several months in prison.
In 2025, 13 journalists were arrested in Niger, and local media report that six remain in custody.
Niger has fallen 37 positions in the World Press Freedom Index, ranking 120th out of 180 countries.
RSF and Amnesty International have repeatedly expressed serious concerns about press freedom violations in Niger, where a law criminalizing the online dissemination of data that could disrupt public order was enacted in 2024.
In 2025, the country also suspended nearly 3,000 local and foreign NGOs, accusing them of opacity and supporting "terrorists" or armed groups.
