Marking a pivotal shift in the fight for media safety, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has officially expanded its Press Attack Tracker (PAT) to monitor and document press freedom violations across the West African region.
The announcement, was made during an event commemorating World Press Freedom Day 2026, signifies a major scaling of the platform following nine years of successful operations in Nigeria. The expansion comes as a direct response to a substantial increase in media suppression and aims to bridge the critical data gap that has long hindered regional advocacy.
A Legacy of Data-Driven Advocacy
Since its founding in 2017 as a civic technology tool, the PAT has been instrumental in documenting the perils faced by the press. In Nigeria alone, the tracker has recorded 1,326 press freedom violations, including 28 confirmed deaths.
The database tracks a wide spectrum of hostilities, ranging from physical assault, kidnapping, and murder to more modern forms of suppression such as cyberbullying and Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP). By systematically gathering this data, the CJID provides the robust evidence required to mobilize public opinion and hold perpetrators accountable.
Bridging the Regional Gap
The initial phase of this regional rollout will cover Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia, with an ambitious roadmap to include Francophone African countries before the end of 2025.
“The CJID reaffirms its commitment to leading critical innovations that build more efficient mechanisms to strengthen the safety and welfare of journalists and independent media across Africa,” the organization stated. “This aligns with our vision to promote a diverse, vibrant, and enabling media landscape that improves governance responsiveness and advances democratic accountability for inclusive and sustainable development on the continent.”
Empowering Journalists through Technology
The launch, held in partnership with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and the National Human Rights Commission, featured a live demonstration of the platform’s updated capabilities. The tool is designed to be user-friendly, allowing victims and newsrooms to report attacks directly via the PAT website.
For more infomation: Press Attack Tracker (PAT)
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