10 countries in Africa with the worst press freedom in 2024

It is virtually impossible to emphasize the risks associated with limited press freedom in Africa. The effects are numerous and profound, ranging from straining economic development and escalating social tensions to eroding democracy and accountability. Unfortunately, this has been a prevalent problem on the African continent, where politics interferes with a reporter's ability to spread the right information.

One of the most immediate consequences of restricted journalistic freedom is a loss of accountability. Without a free press to analyze the activities of people in power, there is little to dissuade corruption and misconduct In the absence of accountability, politicians are empowered to behave with impunity, cementing their positions of power and plundering their countries' resources for personal advantage.

This is the dilemma faced in many African countries, where those who are charged with protecting the press have taken to oppressing instead.

According to the latest annual World Press Freedom Index produced by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), out of the five indicators used to create the index, it is the political indicator that has fallen the most, registering a global average fall of 7.6 points.

As a result, many African journalists are faced with censorship, intimidation, and violence.

As more than half the world's population goes to the polls in 2024, RSF is warning of a worrying trend revealed by the 2024 World Press Freedom Index: a decline in the political indicator, one of five indicators detailed in the Index. States and other political forces are playing a decreasing role in protecting press freedom," Anne Bocandé the RSF editorial director stated.

When the press is muzzled, it creates a breeding ground for misinformation, propaganda, and unchecked abuse of power. With that said here are the 10 countries in Africa with the worst freedom press in 2024. The lower the index the worst the press freedom.