Nigeria Global Press Freedom Ranking Worsens Under Buhari

When President Muhammadu Buhari took over in 2015, Nigeria was ranked 111 but fell to 116 in 2016.

Few weeks to May 3, celebrated as World Press Freedom Day, the RSF verdict is telling on the precarious decline of press freedom and free speech in the country.

“In Nigeria, it is nearly impossible to cover stories involving politics, terrorism, or financial embezzlement. Journalists are often threatened, subjected to physical violence, or denied access to information by government officials, police, and sometimes the public itself.

“The all-powerful regional governors are often their most determined persecutors. As Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria nonetheless has more than 100 independent media outlets.

“Online freedom was recently curbed by a cyber-crime law that punishes bloggers in an arbitrary manner,” the RSF said.

RSF said in 2017 alone, eight journalists have been killed across the world, while 193 are currently imprisoned, with Syria, Turkmenistan, Eritrea and North Korea as the most repressive countries in terms of free speech and media.

Norway, Sweden and Finland, are ranked as the countries with the best press freedom in the world.