Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Articles by Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Exposing corruption in Togo’s oil sector lands journalist in trouble

Togolese investigative journalist Ferdinand Ayite is being threatened and sued for defamation for exposing malfeasance in the country’s petroleum industry.

MFWA fact-checking initiative fights COVID-19 misinformation

The effectiveness of Media Foundation for West Africa’s COVID-19 fact-checking initiative is enhanced by the involvement of the diverse array of media outlets.

Presidential appointee to head Guinea’s media regulator

The presidential appointment of Boubabacar Yacine Diallo as the new head of Haute Autorité de la Communication (HAC) is being seen as a move to control Guinea’s media sector.

Ghanian soldier assaults cameraman for filming clean-up exercise

This is the third time in four months that a soldier has assaulted a journalist in Ghana. The MFWA finds this recent spate quite disturbing and urges the military authorities to take steps to curb it.

Nigerian Sharia court sentences singer to death

Nigerian singer Yahaya Sharif-Aminu is accused of blasphemy and has been sentenced to death for his song excessively praising the founder of a religious sect.

30 radio stations in Guinea-Bissau go silent to protest attack on Capital FM

The attack on Radio Capital FM followed several threats to the station which its Management says were reported to the police.

Benin’s closure of online media outlets seen as muzzling of media

Benin’s media regulator has been criticised for a directive ordering the closure of non-compliant online media outlets.

In major victory for the media Sierra Leone repeals sedition legislation

Sierra Leone’s Parliament has repealed an outdated and repressive 1965 law that criminalised libel and sedition.