Digital Media Reshapes Africa’s News Habits as Radio Retains Lead, Afrobarometer Says

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The way Africans consume news is undergoing a major shift as digital platforms continue to grow, though traditional radio remains the continent’s dominant source of information, according to a new Afrobarometer survey spanning 38 countries.

The report, released this week, found that 84% of Africans regularly access news through at least one form of mass media, a figure that has remained largely unchanged over the past decade despite the rapid rise of internet-based platforms.

According to the survey, 59% of respondents said they obtain news from radio every day or several times a week, compared with 53% for television, 50% for social media, and 38% for other internet sources. Only 13% said they regularly read print newspapers.

The findings suggest that digital media are increasingly replacing, rather than expanding, news consumption across the continent.

“Technological advances have changed how news is delivered, but they have not significantly increased the proportion of Africans who consume news regularly,” the report said.

Afrobarometer said radio’s dominance has steadily declined over the last 10 years, with usage down by 10 percentage points across 28 countries consistently surveyed since 2014. Over the same period, social media use for news rose sharply by 29 percentage points on average, while internet news consumption increased by 15 points.

Despite that shift, the survey noted that radio remains the most accessible medium, particularly among women, rural residents, poorer households and less-educated citizens, underlining its enduring role in bridging socioeconomic and geographic divides.

Digital news consumption showed wide disparities across countries. Usage was highest in Mauritius at 88%, followed by Gabon at 81% and Morocco at 79%, while Madagascar recorded the lowest level at 13%.

The report also highlighted persistent inequalities in access. Men were more likely than women to use all forms of media regularly, while urban residents consumed significantly more television, internet and social media news than rural populations.

On media freedom, public opinion remained mixed.

A slim majority of respondents, 53%, said the media in their countries were largely free from government censorship or interference, while 43% believed the press faced restrictions.

However, support for the principle of press freedom remained strong, with 65% backing the right of media organisations to publish without government control.

The survey further found broad support for the press acting as a watchdog, with 72% saying media should continue to investigate and report on government mistakes and corruption.

Afrobarometer said the findings reflect a changing media landscape in which digital platforms are growing rapidly but face structural barriers, including high data costs, limited digital literacy and periodic government restrictions.

The report was based on 50,961 face-to-face interviews conducted across 38 African countries during 2024 and 2025.

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