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The Ghana Media Summit 2026 has ended in Accra with renewed commitments from journalists, media organisations, development partners and civil society groups to strengthen press freedom and defend democratic governance across West Africa.
The Summit was organised by the Abuja-headquartered Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) to mark the launch of its full operations in Ghana. It brought together leading voices from the media, academia, government, diplomatic missions and international development organisations to examine the evolving role of the press in safeguarding democracy.
Held at the Marriott Hotel in Accra, the Summit was themed “Defending Democracy in West Africa: The Role of the Media.” Discussions focused on the growing challenges confronting journalism in the region, including misinformation, malinformation and disinformation, political polarisation, attacks on journalists and declining public trust in news institutions.
Speakers and participants stressed that an independent, professional and accountable media remains central to protecting democratic values, ensuring transparency and promoting informed public debate.
Group picture of stakeholders at the summit. Image Source: CJID
Delivering the keynote address, the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission, Mr George Sarpong, said the optimism that greeted democracy and constitutional rule after years of military dictatorship in West Africa is gradually giving way to anxiety largely because of a lack of confidence in public institutions and “persistent corruption, economic hardship, youth unemployment, widening inequality.”
Citing the Afrobarometer reports, Mr Sarpong said the citizens are gradually tilting towards a preference for military rule, a situation which demands urgent attention.
“It is within this context that we are called upon to reflect on how to defend democracy and to examine what role the media can play in this,” he added.
He called for a renewal of the social contract between government and citizens, one that will make governments more accountable, transparent and responsive to the needs of the people.
Government response
Speaking at the summit on behalf of the Minister of Government Communications, Shamima Muslim said the president is committed to media freedom, democratic governance and accountable leadership. She commended the CJID for a timely and profoundly relevant convening at the time when artificial intelligence, synthetic media and coordinated disinformation campaigns are reshaping the information landscape.
“Our generation faces multiple levels of threats. High among these threats is the weaponisation of information. Today democracy is contested not only in parliament, the courtroom or the ballot box but across digital platforms, artificial intelligence systems and social media where information travels faster than verification,” she said.
She added that access to reliable and independent information is indispensable and more relevant in today’s digital age. She said that media literacy ought to be democracy’s first line of defence.
“While we rightly celebrate the indispensable role journalists play, we must recognise that the first line of defence against misinformation is truly an informed and discerning citizenry.”
She highlighted the abundance of false information as the “greatest” threat to democracy in the current era.
The CJID promise
The CJID Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dapo Olorunyomi, noted that strengthening journalism was essential to countering misinformation and holding public institutions in the sub-region to account. He acknowledged that democratic issues depend on the state and on the vibrancy of journalism. Also, he stated that the problems with democracy and journalism are widespread across Africa.
“Indeed, if you see that democracy is suffering…it is [because] journalism is failing. [This is because], journalism has always been at the core of democracy building,” he said.
He reiterated that journalism has transformed and does not function the same as it did decades ago. The shift to digital media suggests that journalists have to shift their focus to meet the demands of the new age.
“This means journalism has to be historically and philosophically grounded to make it meaningful in this era.”
Dapo Olorunyomi, CEO and founder of CJID. Image Source: CJID
He called for academia to embrace the new reality, train new media practitioners to uphold information integrity and democracy in the age of Artificial Intelligence. He stated that it is key in building a resilient information ecosystem.
On her part, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, Board Member of CJID, stated the need for media development organisations like the CJID to ensure accountability and transparency in efforts to sustain our democracy.
The event attracted representatives from several international organisations and diplomatic missions, including UNESCO, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, and other development partners that support media freedom and democratic governance.
Journalists, editors, fact-checkers, researchers and media practitioners from across West Africa also participated in the summit, sharing experiences from their respective countries and exploring ways to deepen regional cooperation in addressing threats to press freedom and information integrity.
A cross-section of participants at the summit. Image Source: CJID
Throughout the discussions, speakers and participants highlighted the increasing sophistication of online disinformation campaigns and the need to equip journalists with digital verification tools, strengthen fact-checking initiatives and promote ethical reporting. They also called for greater collaboration between media organisations, technology platforms and civil society to combat false information without undermining freedom of expression.
Key speakers emphasised that protecting journalists from intimidation, harassment and violence was indispensable to sustaining democratic societies. They urged governments across the region to uphold constitutional guarantees of press freedom, ensure accountability for attacks against journalists and create an enabling environment for independent media to flourish.
The launch of CJID’s operations in Ghana was described as a significant step towards expanding support for investigative journalism, media innovation, research and capacity building in the country and the wider West African sub-region. Organisers said the organisation would work closely with local partners to strengthen media resilience and promote evidence-based journalism.
As the summit drew to a close, delegates reaffirmed their collective commitment to defending democracy through credible journalism, regional cooperation and continued investment in media development. They expressed optimism that stronger partnerships between journalists, civil society organisations and international partners would help reinforce democratic institutions and safeguard media freedom across West Africa.
