In 2025, Africa witnessed a disturbing surge in internet shutdowns, with governments increasingly leveraging digital blackouts to control information flow during times of political instability, protests, and conflicts. A report released by internet rights group Access Now and #KeepItOn, a coalition of hundreds of civil society organizations, revealed that the continent experienced 21 shutdowns across 15 countries, surpassing previous records set in 2020 and 2021.
New offenders such as Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritius joined the ranks of repeat violators like Burundi, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, and Kenya. Other affected nations included Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania. While state authorities were primarily responsible for imposing these restrictions, non-state actors, including militias, also played a role in disrupting internet access.
Felicia Anthonio, the #KeepItOn campaign manager at Access Now, criticized telecommunication and internet service providers for complying with government orders to restrict access, arguing that such actions violate fundamental human rights. She referenced the UN’s guiding principles on business and human rights, which emphasize the responsibility of businesses to uphold people’s digital freedoms.
A Global Trend of Digital Suppression
This troubling trend is not limited to Africa. Worldwide, internet shutdowns increased both in frequency and geographic spread, with 296 shutdowns across 54 countries in 2024, compared to 283 shutdowns in 39 countries the previous year. These figures mark the highest recorded since Access Now began monitoring the issue in 2016.
The organization’s report highlighted the devastating impact of these shutdowns on communities, particularly during moments of political upheaval, unrest, and conflict. “Behind each of the 1,754 shutdowns since 2016 is a story of people and communities cut off from the world and each other, often during political upheaval, unrest, violence, and war,” the report stated.
Prolonged Shutdowns and Their Consequences
By the end of 2024, at least five African countries had enforced internet shutdowns lasting more than a year. In Uganda, social media giant Meta remained restricted well into 2025 despite ongoing negotiations between authorities and the company. On Annobon, an island in Equatorial Guinea, internet and cell services had been completely cut off since August 2024 following protests over environmental concerns and government neglect.
A Call for Digital Freedom
In response to the rising number of shutdowns, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) passed a landmark resolution in March 2024 aimed at reversing this alarming trend. However, the situation remains dire, with governments continuing to enforce shutdowns, particularly around elections.
Despite these challenges, Anthonio remains hopeful, noting that the resolution has served as a crucial resource for civil society organizations advocating for digital rights. “It’s rather unfortunate we saw more election-related shutdowns in Africa and other places in 2024 despite the adoption of the ACHPR resolution last year,” she said. “However, the resolution is a positive step as it has served as a vital resource and reference for civil society’s advocacy against rights-harming shutdowns.”
There have been some small victories—Mauritius and South Sudan reversed shutdown orders in early 2025, suggesting that international advocacy efforts are beginning to make a difference. But as digital repression continues to grow, the fight for an open and unrestricted internet remains more critical than ever.
The Road Ahead
As the global community grapples with this escalating crisis, pressure must be maintained on governments and service providers to uphold digital rights. The internet is not just a tool for communication; it is a lifeline for communities, businesses, and activists striving for a better future. It is imperative that African governments and the world at large recognize internet access as a fundamental human right and work towards protecting it rather than weaponizing it.
The rise in internet shutdowns is a stark reminder of the fragile state of digital freedoms. But with continued advocacy, transparency, and international cooperation, there is hope for a future where internet access is preserved as a basic right, rather than used as a tool for suppression.
