Africa experienced nearly 200 internet shutdowns between 2016 and 2024, driven by increased government efforts to stifle political expression, a study by the African Digital Rights Network found.
Ethiopia faced the most shutdowns, either partial or total, recording 30 occurrences within the period. Sudan, Algeria, and Chad were the other countries that experienced 10 or more shutdown events.
The use of shutdowns to suppress dissent, opposition view points, or other forms of expression is “growing in scale and frequency, with devastating consequences for rights and lives,” the study’s authors said.
African telecom companies are often at the mercy of government agencies that order the shutdowns, but pressure from the international community could increase accountability and compel the companies to deny unlawful or arbitrary shutdown orders, the researchers argued.
