West African countries have become prime targets for social media propaganda campaigns.

In the Sahel region, disinformation on social networks has nearly quadrupled in the last two years, according to research and studies by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders and the Nigerian online medium L'Evénement.

Russia expands influence in West Africa

According to the Africa Center, an academic institution within the US Department of Defense, almost 60% of campaigns are sponsored by foreign states, often pushing an anti-Western discourse in favor of Russia.

Moscow has reportedly flooded the Sahel region with 19 campaigns since 2018, mainly targeting Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Russia, seeking to expand its influence in Africa, was accused of moving in after the ruling military juntas expelled Western forces.

"We know Russia's attitude toward the EU and the US," said Bilal Tairou, coordinator of the African Verification Alliance. "There is a wave of anti-Western sentiment, so Russia is taking advantage of this fertile ground."

The media battle intensified in 2020, shortly before the Wagner Group appeared in Mali.

At the same time, Facebook shut down three influential online networks on its platform, two of which were linked to Russia.

"You could read messages like 'Goodbye France, welcome Russia,'" said Dimitri Zufferey, journalist and member of an open-source research community that investigates the movement of the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group.

And the country seems to be achieving its goals: "Russia has managed to influence public opinion in countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso in its favor using dishonorable means," said Zufferey. 

Manipulation of public opinion

In addition to Russia, other state actors, including China and Qatar, are also present.

"There is a power rivalry between old partners and potential new partners who want to establish themselves permanently in these new spaces," said Harouna Simbo, a journalist and analyst of disinformation in Africa's Sahel region.

The spread of false information directly impacts local journalists, who already face strong political pressure.

Military authorities in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have taken measures to silence critical media that they deem "unpatriotic."

According to media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, hundreds of journalists in the Sahel are being intimidated and threatened, with reports of kidnappings and forced recruitment.

"Journalists have two options," explained Malick Konate, a journalist from Mali who now lives in exile. "Either to censor themselves and toe the line or to leave the country."

Geopolitical battlefield

Alternative partners to those in the West are ready to present their points of view and bring their power into play.

"The region has become a geopolitical battleground, including on the internet," said Hamadou Tidiane Sy, director of the Ejicom School of Journalism, Internet and Communication Professions in Senegal's capital Dakar and founder of the independent news portal Ouestaf.com.

Some campaigns are highly sophisticated, while others are easier to see through, he added. "There are people who do this out of loyalty or affection, because they believe that siding with Russia or China could free some African countries from the yoke of the former colonial powers." 

One major issue is the speed at which disinformation spreads on social media: "It is very easy to manipulate the masses, who are unfortunately sometimes ignorant," said Sy. It was therefore extremely important to train journalists in fact-checking, so the expert, to help them recognize mistakes and avoid spreading them.

Fighting disinformation together

Sy and his partners organize public debates on disinformation issues and work with partner radio stations to educate listeners on the topic. 

"We have to sensitize citizens and teach them media literacy," said the university director, who pointed out that just as pacifists cannot eliminate weapons, disinformation is a scourge that will likely persist.

For authorities to tackle the issue, he argued, they must ensure that people are educated by facilating access to public information. 

Yet he remains realistic, adding that sometimes politicians themselves exploit uninformed masses in order to manipulate them for political gain.

This article was originally published in German.