The most recent 2026 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Nigeria is ranked 112th out of 180 countries.
​While this represents a climb of 10 places from its 2025 position (122nd), the country remains classified in the “difficult” category. Despite the slight improvement in ranking, Nigeria continues to be regarded as one of West Africa’s most challenging environments for media professionals.
Journalists are frequently subjected to surveillance, arbitrary arrests, and physical attacks, particularly when covering social protests or electoral activities.
Laws like the Cybercrimes Act and various defamation provisions are often used as tools to intimidate or prosecute reporters.
Crimes against journalists often go unpunished, even when perpetrators are identified. This lack of accountability fosters an environment of self-censorship.
There has been a noted rise in digital harassment, specifically targeting women journalists, which includes reputational attacks and AI-amplified harassment.
Even with its move up to 112th, Nigeria lags behind several African peers in the 2026 index, including South Africa (21st), Namibia (23rd), and Ghana (39th). RSF emphasizes that while the media landscape in Nigeria is vibrant, the “safety” indicator remains the most concerning factor for the country’s press freedom score.
