Gabon’s military restores internet access following successful coup

Less than a day after declaring a coup in Gabon, the country’s military officers have restored internet access. Checks from Netblocks, a site dedicated to mapping internet freedom, showed that “connectivity had been largely restored.” Until recently, the ousted President Ali Bongo-led government ordered a nationwide restriction on the internet. 

Enforced on election weekend, the restriction order prevented citizens from discussing the election and its potential outcome online. Upon the conclusion of the voting process for presidential and legislative positions, the government ordered network providers to cut off internet access. 

Defending this decision, Rodrigue Mboumba Bissawou, the Communication Minister said that the order hoped to curtail the potential calls for violence and misinformation regarding the results. Alongside the clampdown on the internet, the Gabonese government also implemented a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew. 

It is worth mentioning that Ali Bongo sought a third term in office, an ambition that not many seemed pleased with. After the nation’s electoral body announced Bongo as the winner, the military seized power shortly. The armed forces claimed the election was a rigged one. Bongo is under house arrest as of the time of this report. 

What is most interesting about Gabon’s coup is that hundreds of citizens reportedly celebrated the takeover on the streets. This implies that Bongo was not exactly a favourite. By restoring access to the internet, the military has given the people another cause for admiration. 

Africa has a lengthy history of rigged elections and the military taking it upon itself to wrest power from civilians. Last month, Niger experienced a coup which saw the overthrow of Mohamed Bazoum. In 2020, Mali witnessed a coup that saw the overthrow of now Late Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. 

Gabon departs from Africa’s growing romance with internet shutdowns 

Gabon became the latest African nation to implement a nationwide internet blackout. This year alone, Guinea, Senegal, Ethiopia, and some other nations have prevented citizens from using the internet and social media at different times and for different reasons.

Many have condemned this trend, noting, very rightly, that it violates the fundamental right to expression and association. Beyond human rights infringement, internet shutdowns have severe economic impacts on countries. 

A recent report claimed that internet restrictions between 2019 and 2023 cost the global economy a whopping $42.71 billion. From a local perspective, consider that Nigerian businesses lost N543 billion during the famous Twitter ban imposed by former president Muhammadu Buhari.

With Gabon joining the growing list of African countries that have resorted to internet shutdowns, it raises serious concerns about Africans’ right to expression in the digital age. The Internet offers entertainment, business opportunities, information, and more. 

Admittedly, mischief makers leverage the platform, but an outright shutdown is often deemed harsh. Unfortunately, many African leaders still see it as a switch that, if turned off, does not have immense consequences.