By Foday Moriba Conteh
The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) and the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG) have jointly hailed Sierra Leone’s rising global press freedom profile as the nation joins the international community in commemorating World Press Freedom Day 2025. Both organizations highlighted the country’s significant eight-place leap in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, released by Reporters Without Borders on May 2, 2025 as a major milestone in the ongoing effort to protect freedom of expression and promote independent journalism.
SLAJ President Ahmed Sahid Nasralla welcomed the news as a strong endorsement of the reforms and collaborations that have taken root over recent years. He cited the repeal of criminal and seditious libel laws in 2020, improved regulatory structures and media development initiatives as key contributors to Sierra Leone’s improved ranking, now 56th out of 180 countries. He described the achievement as a shared success, crediting the commitment of journalists, civil society, development partners and the Government of Sierra Leone.
Despite the upward trend, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla stressed that much work remains. He called for continued efforts to protect journalists, bolster the financial sustainability of media houses and combat the spread of disinformation. As his term at the helm of SLAJ draws to a close, he underscored that the real measure of progress lies in building a media environment that empowers citizens, holds power to account and upholds ethical journalism.
Marking World Press Freedom Day under the theme: “Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media,” MRCG joined global voices in reflecting on how AI is transforming the media landscape. The organization noted both the opportunities and threats posed by AI, including improved investigative reporting and fact-checking, as well as challenges such as AI-generated misinformation, biased algorithms and potential threats to journalistic autonomy.
With donor support, the MRCG has launched capacity-building programs to equip media practitioners with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the evolving digital landscape. The group also used the occasion to renew its call for sustained Government and donor backing of the National Fund for Public Interest Media (NaFPIM), one of the key recommendations from the 2022 Media Viability and Investment Conference. The fund, supported by the International Fund for Public Interest Media and BBC Media Action, has entered its grant-making phase and applications are already being received.
The MRCG also released its Thirteenth Press Freedom Report, which has tracked 87 cases since 2018. Of these, 61 have been concluded, settled or dropped due to lack of progress; six are currently in court; 20 remain under police investigation or unresolved and nine have been abandoned.
SLAJ and MRCG reaffirmed their joint commitment to advancing a free, safe and professional media environment in Sierra Leone. They pledged to continue working with stakeholders across all sectors to push for deeper reforms and innovations that will further elevate Sierra Leone’s standing in future press freedom assessments.
