In the newly released 2025 World Press Freedom Index, Nigeria has dropped to 122nd place, sliding 10 positions from its 2024 ranking a concerning reversal for a country already under scrutiny for its record on media rights.
Compiled annually by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Index evaluates factors such as pluralism, media independence, legislative constraints, economic pressures, and safety of journalists Nigeria’s decline this year reflects mounting challenges in multiple dimensions of media freedom.
What’s Behind the Decline?
- Ownership concentration: RSF highlights that a few private entities closely linked to political interests now control significant portions of Nigeria’s media space eroding editorial autonomy.
- Economic fragility & pressures: With shrinking ad revenues, rising operational costs, and weak financial buffers, many newsrooms face severe vulnerability to censorship or internal self-censorship.
- Legal constraints & enforcement: While Nigeria has moved to amend aspects of its Cybercrimes Act, the law continues to be used to prosecute journalists under vague terms creating chilling effects on investigative reporting.
- Physical threats and harassment: The Index notes that attacks, intimidation, and arrests of journalists, especially during politically charged periods, remain disturbingly frequent. Reports suggest that nearly 20 reporters were attacked in early 2023 alone.
Impacts on Journalism, Democracy & Society
- Self-censorship and constrained reporting: Journalists may avoid contentious stories to minimize risk, weakening accountability journalism.
- Reduced public oversight: When media is muzzled, corruption, abuse of power, and human rights violations may go unchecked.
- Health of democratic discourse: A robust press is foundational to informed citizens — declining freedom threatens civic engagement and governance.
- International perception: Nigeria’s reputation as a democratic leader in Africa is eroded when press freedom backslides.
What Must Be Done
- Enact clear, protective legal reform: Laws like the Cybercrimes Act must be reviewed to prevent misuse against media practitioners.
- Support media sustainability: Incentives and grants to independent media houses can help reduce financial vulnerabilities.
- Strengthen media ownership transparency: Disclosures and anti-monopoly measures would help preserve editorial independence.
- Prioritize journalist safety: Swift investigations into attacks and threats must become the norm.
- Promote media literacy and pluralism: Encourage a diverse media ecosystem and public support for media integrity.
Nigeria’s drop in the Press Freedom Index is a wake-up call. For the country to reclaim credibility and safeguard its democratic values, structural reforms, political will, and civic pressure will all need to align before journalists find themselves entirely muted.