To the dismay of many, the Nigerien communication ministry on 30 June indefinitely closed the Niamey Press House, which was initially a service provided by the Niger government to the press community.

In a country where the private press has often been hounded by hostile politics, the Press House played an important role in providing journalists from both the private and state media with better skills. "The role of the House was essentially to strengthen the capacities of media enterprises and journalists. It’s like a school," said President of Independent Publishers of Niger (ANEPI) Boubacar Diallo to RAP 21. The ANEPI is one of 14 media member organisations of the Press House.

According to Diallo "There have been no valid reasons brought forth by the government about the closure of the Press House." Instead government officials claim that is has served as site for internecine conflict rather than a modality to improve press operations.

"For us, the government, who has yet to be able to make the press work in its favour, has as a result simply reduced its scope," said Diallo. The closure of the Press House is very illustrative of this-it came from the government but did not ultimately serve it.

"The press centre, as a fruit of Niger’s government initiative has been gradually going astray from its target mission," said a government statement. It was also reported that the "government has realized with deep sorrow that this press centre is being poorly and unethically managed by its board."

Through the Press House media practitioners were offered to participate in various activities including training seminars financed by the French and US embassies. However, this international aid, in the eyes of the Nigerien government, had inflated to mean that the Press House had been taken "hostage [by] foreign interest groups with unclear goals."

On the contrary, Diallo said, "the French and American embassies finance, at our request, training workshops for journalists at the Press House. That’s all." On behalf of all the members, it was also stated that no managerial irregularities have occurred.

Amid the insecure future of the Press House other aspects of the private press in Niger continue to suffer as well. On 7 July all independent publishers were summoned to the judicial police in Niamey to present press cards, reported Diallo. At the extreme end, Moussa Kaka remains in a Niamey prison where he has been held since 20 September 2007 since his provisional release was overturned.

Treading through all these obstacles, the members of the Press House are standing in solidarity and are calling out to the international community in soft defiance. According to the member’s statement following the closure, "the media organisations...are undertaking all necessary steps to pursue the continuity of the work of the Press centre away from its headquarters."