This incident follows previous cases of censorship faced by RFI and France 24 in Mali and Burkina Faso in recent months. The group reaffirms its steadfast commitment to the freedom of information, and the safety of its journalists.
In Niger, RFI operates through 7 FM relay stations, in addition to shortwave broadcasts of its programs in French, Hausa, and Fulfulde, as well as several satellites (free-to-air on SES 5, and SES 4 satellites). A network of 44 partner radios also broadcasts their programs in French, Hausa, and Fulfulde.
In 2022, 1.9 million listeners tuned in to the radio each week in the country (18% of the population), and RFI was the top international radio among opinion leaders. Additionally, the channel was followed by a quarter of the Nigerien population each week 2022.
Currently, RFI and France 24 remain accessible in Niger through direct satellite reception with the following channels:
– SES-5: RFI broadcasts in French, Hausa, Fulfulde, Mandenkan and Kiswahili, France 24 broadcasts in French and in English.
– Arab-Sat/Badr: France 24 broadcasts in French, English and Arabic; RFI broadcasts in French.
Furthermore, RFI’s programs in French, Hausa, and Fulfulde continue to be broadcasted on shortwave. Additionally, RFI and France 24 can be accessed on YouTube, their respective apps, websites, and social media platforms.
