VOA goes off air in Ghana, Nigeria, and others as Trump cuts funds

The shutdown, first noticed by millions of listeners in northern Nigeria, sparked panic when music began playing in place of scheduled broadcasts, a haunting reminder in the region of military coups or political takeovers.

“People started calling in, worried that there had been a coup in America,” said Babangida Jibrin, a journalist who previously worked with VOA’s now-defunct Hausa-language service, as quoted by Daily Trust.

The station’s abrupt disappearance from the airwaves last month left stunned reporters scrambling to explain what had happened to their loyal audience.

Founded during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, VOA later became a major player in Cold War-era broadcasting, offering an American perspective against Soviet disinformation.

Over the decades, it evolved into a beacon of credible journalism worldwide, especially in authoritarian regions where press freedom is under threat.

In northern Nigeria, where insurgency, banditry, and government corruption are part of daily life, VOA Hausa provided in-depth, unbiased coverage often missing in local media.

Its disappearance has now left a gaping hole in a media landscape already struggling with state repression and misinformation.

Critics blame Trump’s ideological war on independent institutions and his administration’s push to dismantle U.S.-backed international media.

The US president slashed VOA’s funding as part of a broader effort to bring the outlet under tighter political control, effectively killing off several regional language services.

Sahara Reporters also reported that more than 1,100 “Hands Off!” protests and meetings were scheduled to take place across all 50 states in the US on Saturday.

These were in response to the significant cuts to the federal workforce, reportedly overseen by Trump adviser and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.