Internet shutdowns, state-backed policies that deliberately cut off access to the internet or mobile networks, are increasingly common in Africa. Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition documented 21 shutdowns across 15 African countries in 2024 alone, surpassing previous years.
This highlights a trend of weaponising access during protests, elections, conflict, and social unrest on the continent.
Digitally enforced blackouts vary in scope, ranging from targeted social media blocks to region-wide broadband outages. But in every case, the impacts resonate beyond a mere locked tweet or Facebook post.
Globally, internet shutdowns cost a staggering $7.69 billion in 2024. That figure stems from 167 major disruptions across 28 countries, affecting nearly 650 million people. With 88,788 hours of digital blackout, these represent the highest number of disrupted hours ever recorded.
In Africa, shutdowns between 2015 and 2017 cost economies about $237 million. The first months of 2019 alone accounted for about $267 million, with Sudan losing at least $7.5 million per day.
Other reports indicate that regional e-commerce and mobile-driven economies suffered a loss of up to $3.9 billion between 2020 and 2023. Internet disruptions threaten fringe economic activities like logistics, sales, health and education.
Countries like Ethiopia, Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania, alongside first-time offenders like Comoros and Guinea-Bissau, have joined the list of nations weaponising connectivity. Often, these disruptions coincide with elections, protests, or periods of political instability, as governments seek to stifle dissent or prevent the spread of information.
The tactics vary: some governments enforce total blackouts, cutting off internet access, while others employ targeted measures like throttling bandwidth or blocking specific platforms such as X, WhatsApp, or Facebook.
For instance, Nigeria’s 2021 Twitter ban, which lasted seven months, was a response to the platform deleting tweets from then-President Muhammadu Buhari deemed inflammatory. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) later ruled the ban a violation of freedom of expression, ordering Nigeria to prevent such actions in the future.
For example, in Sudan, a 185-day internet blackout in 2019 cost an estimated $1.9 billion, crippling businesses and humanitarian efforts during a period of civil unrest. Similarly, Cameroon’s 2017 shutdown in its Anglophone regions, lasting nearly 100 days, resulted in $5 million in losses, halting tech startups and personal services that depended on connectivity.
The economic damage extends beyond immediate losses. Shutdowns erode investor confidence, as regulatory uncertainty signals risk to fintech, e-commerce, and digital infrastructure sectors.
“Investors require stability and predictability,” notes a World Economic Forum report. “Frequent or politically motivated shutdowns increase capital costs and often lead investors to redirect funds to lower-risk markets.”
Africa’s internet shutdown economy is a paradox: governments claim to champion digital transformation while severing the very connectivity that drives it. This creates a vicious cycle, deepening digital poverty and stalling Africa’s progress toward inclusive growth.
The human cost of internet shutdowns in Africa
Beyond economics, internet shutdowns strike at the heart of human rights.
Access to information, freedom of expression, and the ability to organise are curtailed when governments flip the kill switch. In eSwatini in 2021, authorities shut down the internet during pro-democracy protests, depriving citizens of free speech and income.
These actions also disrupt access to critical services. During Sudan’s 2023 civil war, internet shutdowns exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis, cutting off access to aid coordination and communication. In Nigeria, the Twitter ban disrupted businesses and revenue streams dependent on the platform.
The digital divide in Africa, already marked by a 36% mobile internet usage gap in rural areas and a persistent gender gap, widens with each shutdown.
The World Bank estimates that only 22% of Sub-Saharan Africans used mobile internet in 2021, despite 84% living in areas with 3G coverage. Shutdowns exacerbate this, leaving millions unable to access education, healthcare, or financial services.
Andrew Dabalen, World Bank Chief Economist for Africa, warns, “The minimal usage of mobile internet is a lost opportunity for inclusive growth.”
Why governments pull the plug
Governments often justify shutdowns by citing national security, public order, or the need to curb misinformation. However, data suggests that these measures are counterproductive.
A study by Navid Hassanpour on Egypt’s 2011 shutdown during the Arab Spring found that protests increased when the internet was cut, as citizens mobilised locally to share information. Similarly, in Sudan and Zimbabwe in 2019, shutdowns failed to quell protests and instead fuelled public anger.
Critics argue that shutdowns are less about security and more about control. “Africa is becoming a new testing ground for authoritarian practices online,” says Francois Patuel of Amnesty International.
Governments fear the internet’s ability to amplify grassroots movements, as seen during the Arab Spring or Nigeria’s #EndSARS protests. By controlling connectivity, they aim to silence opposition and limit the spread of dissent.
Regrettably, stakeholders like telecommunications companies and internet service providers (ISPs) are complicit in shutdowns by complying with government orders under national security agreements.
Felicia Anthonio of Access Now points out that these providers violate the UN guiding principles on business and human rights by enabling disruptions. Yet, their cooperation is often coerced, as refusal can lead to legal or financial repercussions.
Civil society organisations, like the #KeepItOn coalition and Paradigm Initiative, are fighting back. They document violations, advocate for legal safeguards, and provide tools like VPNs and digital rights toolkits to help citizens bypass restrictions.
To curb the internet shutdown economy, experts propose a multi-pronged approach. The World Economic Forum suggests codifying legal safeguards against arbitrary shutdowns, developing transparent emergency protocols, fostering multistakeholder governance, and investing in resilient infrastructure.
The Internet Society emphasises the need for governments to conduct cost-benefit analyses before enacting shutdowns, highlighting their economic and social toll.
International pressure is also key.
The #KeepItOn coalition, comprising over 200 organisations, works with governments, telecoms, and civil society to advocate for internet freedom. Campaigns like #BringBackOurInternet have successfully pressured governments, as seen in Cameroon’s 2017 internet restoration.
To build a future where the internet is a protected resource, not a weapon, African nations must prioritise legal protections, transparent governance, and resilient infrastructure. Only then can the continent harness the full potential of its digital economy, ensuring that connectivity empowers rather than divides.
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