“People are now cut off from news, especially international news,” said Moussa Jaharou, from southern Niger, among the many VOA Hausa listeners living in poor areas prone to conflict and jihadist violence who now find themselves further isolated.
The dismantling of Voice of America’s Hausa service has left tens of millions in West Africa’s conflict-prone regions without critical news access. When music replaced regular programming last month, panicked listeners like Babangida Jibrin recalled calls asking, “Was there a coup in the US?” The 77-year-old US-funded broadcaster served rural Hausa speakers across Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon where internet and print media are scarce.
“People are now cut off from news, especially international news,” said Moussa Jaharou, a listener in southern Niger. The closure particularly impacts areas facing jihadist violence, severing a lifeline for populations reliant on VOA’s local-language reporting. The Trump administration has not commented on the regional fallout.
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