The Haute Autorité de la Communication Audiovisuelle (HACA) in Ivory Coast has launched a nationwide registration exercise for online audiovisual services and content creators, giving operators until 31 December 2026 to declare their activities.
The initiative covers a broad range of digital media services, including web television and radio stations, streaming and video-on-demand platforms, podcasts, digital extensions of licensed television and radio broadcasters, individual content creators’ accounts and channels, as well as foreign audiovisual services targeting Ivorian audiences.
The registration exercise is based on the 2017 law governing the legal framework for audiovisual communication, as amended in December 2022. According to the regulator, the process is free of charge and is intended to establish a comprehensive record of the country’s growing online audiovisual sector.
Under the leadership of HACA President Brou Aka Pascal, the regulator has clarified that the exercise is strictly a census and does not constitute an application for an operating licence or grant authorisation to provide audiovisual services. It has also emphasised that the registration process does not involve prior content monitoring or editorial control, with information collected intended exclusively for regulatory purposes.
While HACA has sought to reassure digital operators and content creators about the exercise’s limited scope, the initiative raises broader questions about the future regulation of online media in the country. Establishing a comprehensive register could provide the foundation for more structured oversight of digital audiovisual services as the sector continues to expand.
For broadcasters, streaming providers, podcasters and independent creators, the immediate requirement is to ensure their activities are declared before the 31 December deadline. However, the longer-term implications of the information collected, particularly regarding potential regulatory frameworks for digital platforms and individual creators, remain to be seen.
The announcement also comes amid growing regulatory attention towards online audiovisual services across Africa, as authorities seek to understand and address the challenges associated with digital broadcasting, content distribution and emerging media business models.
