• Senegal adopts a draft law to replace the CNRA with a new National Media Regulation Council.
• The reform extends regulation to digital platforms and online content creators.
• The government aims to curb disinformation while preserving freedom of expression.

New media platforms, including social networks, blogs, and video-sharing sites, now dominate information consumption among young people in Africa and elsewhere.

Governments face rising challenges from disinformation, hate speech, and other abuses on digital channels that regulators previously overlooked.

Against this backdrop, regulation has become an urgent priority.

At a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, the Senegalese government adopted a draft law establishing the National Media Regulation Council, known by its French acronym CNRM.

The new institution will replace the National Audiovisual Regulation Council, or CNRA, which the government created in 2006.

This reform marks a major overhaul of the legal framework to address digital transformation and evolving information practices.

According to Minister of Communication, Telecommunications, and Digital Affairs Alioune Sall, the reform aims to “adapt regulation to technological change, protect rights, strengthen accountability among stakeholders, and consolidate democracy.”

The minister said the legal framework will align “with international best practices in media and digital communication regulation, while taking into account recommendations from regional and international bodies.”

Over the past two decades, digitalization, the rise of social platforms, and the growth of independent content creators have transformed Africa’s media landscape, particularly in Senegal.

The reform seeks to extend regulation to a hybrid public space where traditional and digital media increasingly overlap.

Under the new framework, the CNRM will supervise digital platforms and content creators who disseminate information to the public.

This approach aligns with a global trend in which governments attempt to balance the protection of freedoms with digital accountability.

States increasingly target fake news and online opinion manipulation while preserving democratic principles.

“When they participate in the public information space, they must comply with principles of responsibility, just like traditional media,” said Habibou Dia, director of communication at the Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications, and Digital Affairs.

The policy aims to establish a level regulatory playing field, promote shared ethical standards, and combat disinformation while safeguarding freedom of expression.

The cabinet’s adoption of the draft law represents an initial step in the legislative process.

The government will soon submit the bill to the National Assembly for review and final approval.

Implementation of the law would mark Senegal’s transition to a new phase of media regulation based on an integrated and digital-economy-oriented model.