Panic swept through northern Nigeria and neighboring West African countries after Voice of America (VOA) abruptly shut down its radio services due to funding cuts ordered by US President Donald Trump.
The sudden move sparked concerns, although the exact reasons and implications remain unclear.
The unexpected disappearance of VOA’s Hausa-language broadcasts in Nigeria, Ghana, Niger, and Cameroon has left millions of loyal listeners—particularly in rural, conflict-ridden, and media-starved regions—cut off from trusted international news sources.
The shutdown, which began last month, was first noticed by startled listeners in northern Nigeria when music, rather than scheduled news content, began playing during usual broadcast hours—a phenomenon often associated with political unrest or coups in the region.
“People started calling in, worried that there had been a coup in America,” said Babangida Jibrin, a former journalist with VOA Hausa, in an interview cited by Daily Trust. “It felt like someone turned off the world.”
VOA’s Hausa service had long served as a critical lifeline for millions, offering unbiased, in-depth news coverage where local media is often constrained by state control, censorship, or poor infrastructure.
In areas with unreliable or non-existent internet access, shortwave and FM broadcasts were the only way many people stayed informed about both regional and global affairs.
“People are now cut off from the world, especially from critical international news,” lamented Moussa Jaharou, a regular listener from southern Niger. He described the development as a “deliberate silencing of the poor.”
Founded during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, VOA evolved over the decades into a respected international broadcaster known for delivering credible journalism in authoritarian regions.
In Nigeria’s northern region—where insurgency, armed banditry, and corruption dominate daily life—VOA Hausa’s exit has widened the gap in an already fragile media landscape.
The cut in funding, observers say, was part of Trump’s broader ideological campaign to weaken U.S.-funded independent institutions.
The former president reportedly slashed VOA’s budget with the intention of tightening political control over its operations, leading to the collapse of several regional language services including Hausa.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the budget cuts have sparked mass outrage, with over 1,100 “Hands Off!” protests were scheduled across all 50 states on Saturday.
Organised by a coalition of over 150 civil society groups including the ACLU and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the demonstrations target what organisers describe as a systematic dismantling of public institutions—among them, federal media, healthcare, and education.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them,” a statement on the protest website reads.
“They’re taking everything they can get their hands on, and daring the world to stop them.”
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