The Press Council of South Africa will host the inaugural Assembly and 2nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Network of Independent Media Councils in Africa (NIMCA) in Johannesburg from 13 to 16 September 2026, bringing together independent and self-regulatory media bodies from across the continent to strengthen accountability, governance, sustainability and collective action.
The gathering will bring together member media councils and press ombudsman offices from across the continent under the theme: Strengthening independent media regulation in Africa by entrenching accountability, consolidating governance and sustainability, and advancing collective action.
Delegates will assess the state of independent media oversight, accountability and editorial governance across Africa, and consider practical measures to strengthen the institutions that uphold media ethics and journalistic standards. The Assembly will also examine the technological, economic and geopolitical forces reshaping the media landscape, including the opportunities and threats posed by new technologies, the economic vulnerabilities confronting newsrooms, and the pressures facing the media councils that hold them to account.
As NIMCA’s inaugural Assembly, the gathering marks a significant milestone in the Network’s development. It will provide a platform for member councils to consolidate governance structures, entrench accountability mechanisms, strengthen collaboration and professional solidarity, and chart a path towards long-term sustainability and collective action.
“Independent and self-regulatory media councils in Africa are being tested on multiple fronts: disinformation, threats to information integrity, lack of platform accountability and the economic pressures squeezing newsrooms across the continent. Strengthening our governance, sustainability and capacity for collective action is the foundation on which we can credibly hold the media accountable to the publics they serve.
This gathering is where we entrench that foundation and act in solidarity with those operating in states where media freedom and freedom of expression are vulnerable,” said Dr Phathiswa Magopeni, Chairperson of the Network of Independent Media Councils in Africa.
The Press Council of South Africa looks forward to welcoming delegates, partners and stakeholders to Johannesburg for what promises to be a decisive moment in the strengthening of independent media regulation across the continent.
EVENT DETAILS: 13 -16 September 2026, Johannesburg, South Africa HOST: Press Council of South Africa
CONVENED BY: Network of Independent Media Councils in Africa
About NIMCA
The Network of Independent Media Councils in Africa (NIMCA) is a continental body that brings together independent press and media councils committed to advancing media self-regulation, ethics, accountability and freedom of expression across Africa.
About the Press Council of South Africa
The Press Council of South Africa is an independent co-regulatory body established to safeguard journalistic integrity, uphold ethical standards and promote media accountability through a system of public complaints, adjudication and appeals.