Media Foundation for West Africa

Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa: MFWA Board Member Petitions African Commission, Seeks Urgent Intervention by African Court Respected Nigerian human rights lawyer and Member of the Board of Directors of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Femi Falana (SAN), has petitioned the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) over persistent threats to the safety and security of other African nationals in the Republic of South Africa. In the petition, which is submitted pursuant to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, lawyer Falana called on the Commission “to urgently intervene and refer the matter to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for a binding adjudication.” The petition highlights “a pattern of widespread and recurring xenophobic violence, including killings, physical assaults, arbitrary arrests, torture, looting of businesses, and forced displacement.” Link to full statement in first comment👇

On May 20, 2026, the Media Foundation for West Africa organised a one-day digital literacy training workshop in Lomé, Togo, for 40 women journalists and activists, with coordination support from our national partner in Togo, L'Union des Journalistes Indépendants du Togo (UJIT). Held at El Doria Hotel, the training forms part of the project, “Promoting Press Freedom and Women’s Digital Rights in Togo”, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana @NLinGhana. The project aims to empower women journalists and activists to safely navigate and effectively leverage digital spaces, while strengthening their use of digital tools to enhance the impact of their work. The participants were taken through sessions on digital rights, social media and online privacy, women’s rights online in Togo, strategies for addressing online abuse and how to effectively use digital tools to enhance their work. The sessions were facilitated by Emmanuel Agbenonwossi, Digital Rights Expert and Innocente Gbekevi, Cybersecurity Expert. The opening ceremony of the workshop was marked by the presence of representatives from the Ministry of Communication and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Gender, and Child Protection, to whom we extend our deepest gratitude for honoring our invitation.

Ghana: MFWA decries wanton and discriminatory use of false news laws The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) condemns the increasing spate of what appears to be the weaponisation of Section 76 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775), and Section 208 (sometimes paired with Section 207) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) to criminalise speech in Ghana. Within 16 months of the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, under President John Dramani Mahama, more people have been arrested using these laws than happened under the entire eight years of the previous NPP administration led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. It is worth recalling that while in opposition, President Mahama wrote an open letter to President Akufo-Addo expressing concern about what he described as the “growing criminalisation of speech and journalism in Ghana.” In that letter written in 2022, President Mahama stated: “It is even more worrying when the power of the state is used as a pliant tool in this intimidating endeavour. This is a dangerous blueprint you are fashioning for our dear nation, and it must not be encouraged” Read our full statement here: mfwa.org/issues-in-focu…

Call for Applications: Production of a documentary on the role of investigative journalism in combating corruption and promoting public accountability. Apply by June 10, 2026! Details here: mfwa.org/call-for-appli…

One more week to go! Are you a young female journalist based in Ghana who is passionate about investigative reporting? Apply for this 12-month mentorship programme! Details here: mfwa.org/call-for-appli… --------------------------- The MFWA is seeking an experienced Editor to mentor five female journalists in a 12-month investigative journalism mentorship programme (July 2026 – June 2027) Details here: mfwa.org/call-for-appli…

A week to deadline! Are you a young female journalist based in Ghana who is passionate about investigative reporting? Apply for this 12-month mentorship programme! Details here: mfwa.org/call-for-appli…

🇬🇭 Mentorship Program for Women. GIJN member @TheMFWA seeks female Ghanaian journalists and mentors to apply for its program. Deadline: May 27. Details in GIJN's Africa newsletter for May 👇 twp.ai/4hqVDu]

Read full statement here: mfwa.org/issues-in-focu…

Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa: MFWA Board Member Petitions African Commission, Seeks Urgent Intervention by African Court Respected Nigerian human rights lawyer and Member of the Board of Directors of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Femi Falana (SAN), has petitioned the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) over persistent threats to the safety and security of other African nationals in the Republic of South Africa. In the petition, which is submitted pursuant to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, lawyer Falana called on the Commission “to urgently intervene and refer the matter to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for a binding adjudication.” The petition highlights “a pattern of widespread and recurring xenophobic violence, including killings, physical assaults, arbitrary arrests, torture, looting of businesses, and forced displacement.” Link to full statement in first comment👇

@WorouTchehou Félicitations a vous pour cette nomination. Nous sommes de tout coeur avec vous. Tenez nous au courant.

Du Bénin à Berne : Loukoumane WOROU TCHEHOU en lice pour les True Story Awards 2026 @TheMFWA trp-tg.org/du-benin-a-ber…

Tout juste une semaine après la Journée mondiale de la liberté de la presse 2026, le régime militaire du Niger a renforcé les restrictions imposées aux médias en suspendant neuf médias français à travers le pays. Parmi les médias concernés, qui représentent une grande partie des médias internationaux disponibles en français au Niger, figurent France 24, Radio France Internationale et l'Agence France-Presse. Dans cette vidéo, enregistrée récemment lors d'un événement à l'occasion de la journée mondiale de la liberté de la presse 2026 au Ghana, l'éminent défenseur de la liberté de la presse et fondateur de la MFWA, le professeur Karikari,lance un appel pressant aux gouvernements militaires des pays du Sahel. Regardez la vidéo et consultez notre alerte sur la détérioration de la situation des médias au Niger: mfwa.org #JournéeMondialeDeLaLibertéDeLaPresse #BlackoutMédiatiqueAuSahel

Just one week after World Press Freedom Day 2026, Niger’s military government tightened restrictions on the media by suspending nine French international media outlets across the country. The affected outlets representing a major portion of the French-language international media available in Niger include France 24, Radio France Internationale, and Agence France-Presse. In this video, recorded earlier at a #WPFD2026 event in Ghana, veteran press freedom advocate and MFWA founder, Prof Karikari, makes an urgent appeal to the military governments of the Sahel countries. Watch the video and read our alert on the worsening media crackdown in Niger here: mfwa.org/country-highli… #WorldPressFreedomDay #SahelMediaBlackout

Catch highlights of the Kumasi edition of our Media Security Dialogues which happened on February 19 2026. This was aimed at strengthening cooperation and improving relations between the media and state security institutions in Ghana. The dialogue was part of MFWA’s project on “Countering corruption through accountability journalism and improved freedom of expression environment in Ghana,” under the Participation, Accountability, Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) programme, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), co-financed by the European Union in Ghana @EuropeInGhana and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and implemented by GIZ Ghana in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance of Ghana. #PAIReD #EUandYouAgainstCorruption #FightingCorruptionInGhana

Opportunity for researchers! Details to apply: mfwa.org/call-for-appli…

NEW! @TheMFWA is inviting applications from young female journalism graduates, early career journalists and other young professionals with a passion for accountability journalism in Ghana to participate in a 12-month mentorship programme. Apply by May 27. twp.ai/4hr0Fs

NEW! @TheMFWA, with funding from the European Union through @IMSforfreemedia, is seeking to engage an experienced Editor to support a cohort of five female journalists participating in a 12-month mentorship programme. Apply by May 27. twp.ai/4hr0Fh

#Ghana 🇬🇭 @TheMFWA Founder, Prof Kwame Karikari, calls for a broadcasting law in Ghana. mfwa.org/issues-in-focu…