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Radio Ndeke Luka, created in 2000 by Fondation Hirondelle, is the most listened to media outlet in the Central African Republic. Broadcasting in French and Sango, RNL airs live 24/7 across a dozen FM transmitters and collaborates with 18 community radio stations. The radio station is also available on Canal+ Afrique and social media.
Over more than 25 years, Radio Ndeke Luka has established itself as a public service institution, helping to resolve everyday and vital issues in a country facing crises and governance challenges. With a team of around 100 employees, it produces and broadcasts a variety of content, including 13 daily news programs, debates, educational and entertainment programs, music, and magazines.
Annual budget
2’400’000 CHF
Sources of funding
- European Union
- Switzerland (Project contribution)
- Switzerland (SDC – Core contribution)
- Communication Partnership Contracts
- UNICEF
Key figures for 2025
84,000 followers on social media
3,2 millions weekly
listeners
(2024)
65 media professionals trained
18 radio station partners
2 broadcast languages
8,760 hours of broadcasting per year
Context
Political tensions and the economic and social crisis have continued to fuel an unstable security situation in the Central African Republic. In this fragile context, the role of independent media is essential in contributing to lasting peace and reconciliation, both at the national level and at the local and community levels. However, the Central African media sector, characterized by its technical and economic fragility, is highly exposed to the risks of geopolitical manipulation and the wave of disinformation facing the country.
Providing reliable information to promote lasting peace and reconciliation
Faced with these complex challenges, Radio Ndeke Luka (RNL) and its partner radio stations have developed an information and dialogue program that takes into account the changing political and security context and the needs of the population in terms of reconciliation and recovery. RNL has promoted local information, given communities a voice, and established a link between decisions made in Bangui and their repercussions in the regions. The topics covered include issues of national importance (reconciliation process, lasting peace) and the daily concerns of Central Africans (access to basic social services, mobility, specific issues affecting minorities).
RNL has promoted local information, given communities a voice, and established a link between decisions made in Bangui and their repercussions in the regions. The topics covered include issues of national importance (reconciliation process, lasting peace) and the daily concerns of Central Africans (access to basic social services, mobility, specific issues affecting minorities).
In 2025, RNL overhauled its programming schedule and launched a new on-air identity. The new schedule aims to strengthen the radio station’s position in the face of increased competition, while promoting its local roots, Central African diversity, and a more open thematic approach.
Radio Ndeke Luka (RNL) continues its efforts to ensure that Central Africans have access to reliable, independent, and accessible information that promotes peaceful coexistence and peacebuilding. Understanding of democratic and electoral issues and processes is developed, the national media landscape is strengthened, and the media actively contributes to the fight against disinformation. To find out more about our work to counter misinformation and disinformation, visit our dedicated page.
RNL produces daily news and discussion programs, focusing on covering all the latest news in the country. To stay close to communities, journalists travel around the country and produce programs on location. Specific media literacy and fact-checking content is also produced by a dedicated team. To strengthen its territorial coverage, RNL also plans to install five new transmitters across the country.
The legal and institutional framework for the media in the CAR is being strengthened, and media professionals are receiving support and capacity building. The RNL editorial team is also benefiting from capacity building, particularly in the production of new digital formats, investigative journalism, and coverage of the electoral process (presidential election in December 2025).
In order to promote a culture of verified information among the Central African population, media literacy strategies are being deployed to combat fake news and hate speech, including through in-person awareness-raising sessions.
Priorities
- Providing reliable information as close as possible to communities
- Developing its digital strategy
- Media literacy strategy
- Support the entire media landscape
Activities
- 24/7 broadcasting in French and Sango
- Training for RNL journalists
- Capacity building (editorial, technical, and management) and strengthening of the institutional and legal framework for the media in the Central African Republic.
Our impact
With a cumulative audience share of 72%, Radio Ndeke Luka (RNL) is the country’s leading radio station and the only Central African media outlet that produces and broadcasts independent, professional news in French and Sango throughout the country. RNL listeners are very attached to this radio station, with 92% considering its programs to be useful or even indispensable (Immar 2024 audience study).
Testimonials
“I trust RNL’s information 100% because it is reliable, accurate, and verified.”
Listener from the Mboko area in january 2025.
“From now on, I’m going to check all news before sharing it”
Adèle Pelé, vendor at Bouboui market in Mobaye.