Gabon joins growing list of nations blocking platforms to suppress protest organizing
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Gabon's media regulator announced the indefinite suspension of Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram on February 17, 2026, as teachers entered their third month of strikes and civil servants threatened walkouts. The government cited false information and cyberbullying; the opposition called it a constitutional violation designed to suppress dissent. VPN demand spiked 8,000% within hours.
The shutdown follows a now-familiar script across the continent. Africa recorded 21 internet shutdowns in 2024—a regional record—costing economies over $1.6 billion. From Egypt's 2011 blackout during the Arab Spring to Nigeria's seven-month Twitter ban in 2021, governments have increasingly reached for the digital kill switch during moments of political pressure. The question is whether it works: research suggests shutdowns often escalate rather than suppress protest, while imposing steep economic costs on businesses that depend on social platforms.
A smartphone screen displaying popular social media applications like Instagram and Twitter.
Brice Oligui Nguema on November 26, 2024 (cropped)
Visit of Brice Oligui Nguema, Transitional President of Gabon, to the European Commission - 2024
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Gabon's media regulatory body with authority to suspend digital platforms.
International nonprofit defending digital rights and tracking internet shutdowns globally.
Internet observatory that monitors and verifies network disruptions worldwide.
NetBlocks verified that Meta services, YouTube, and TikTok were restricted in Gabon. VPN demand spiked 8,000% as citizens sought to circumvent the ban.
Former Prime Minister Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze called the shutdown an 'incomprehensible' abuse of power and urged citizens to mobilize against it.
Gabon's High Authority for Communication announced the immediate suspension of Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram, citing false information and threats to public order.
Authorities arrested teachers' union leaders Marcel Libama and Simon Ndong Edzo. The SOS Education collective suspended negotiations until their release.
Teachers across Gabon began strike action over pay and working conditions, citing a decade-old wage freeze imposed under the Bongo government.
Brice Oligui Nguema won Gabon's first post-coup election with over 90% of the vote, generating high expectations for improved living standards.
Warring factions in Sudan caused nationwide internet outages that would persist for over 500 days, costing the economy $1.12 billion.
General Brice Oligui Nguema led a coup overthrowing President Ali Bongo, ending 56 years of family rule. VPN demand spiked 25,000% during the political uncertainty.
Nigeria blocked Twitter after the platform removed posts by President Buhari. The ban lasted seven months and was later ruled unlawful by the ECOWAS Court.
Uganda imposed a five-day total internet blackout during presidential elections, costing an estimated $8.9 million and drawing international condemnation.
Uganda imposed a daily tax of approximately $0.50 to access social media platforms, forcing users to pay to use WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter.
Egyptian authorities blocked Twitter, then Facebook, before ordering a complete internet shutdown on January 27 during Arab Spring protests. The blackout cost an estimated $90 million and research suggests it escalated rather than suppressed protests.
Discussed by: Pattern observed in previous African shutdowns; implicit in government framing as 'temporary'
The government reaches an agreement with teachers and civil servants on wages, lifts the social media suspension, and frames it as a measured response to a specific threat. This mirrors Nigeria's 2022 restoration of Twitter after the platform agreed to conditions. Oligui's popularity survives, though digital rights groups document the precedent.
Discussed by: Access Now, #KeepItOn coalition; academic research on shutdown backfire effects
The ban continues for weeks or months, following Sudan's extended blackout pattern. Research suggests shutdowns often escalate rather than suppress unrest—Egypt's 2011 blackout preceded Mubarak's fall. Protests could spread beyond teachers as businesses suffer economic losses and VPN circumvention becomes widespread.
Discussed by: ECOWAS precedent with Nigeria; African Union digital rights frameworks
Regional bodies or international organizations pressure Gabon to restore access. The ECOWAS Court ruled Nigeria's 2021 Twitter ban unlawful, establishing precedent. However, enforcement mechanisms are weak, and Gabon has shown willingness to defy international norms since the 2023 coup.
Discussed by: Digital authoritarianism researchers; comparisons to Ethiopian Amhara/Tigray restrictions
Gabon normalizes social media restrictions as a governance tool, maintaining indefinite or recurring shutdowns during politically sensitive periods. Ethiopia has kept parts of the country offline for years. This would signal Oligui's government moving toward sustained digital authoritarianism despite his electoral mandate.
Facing mass protests in Tahrir Square, President Hosni Mubarak ordered Egypt's four major internet service providers to cut service entirely on January 27, 2011. The shutdown disconnected 80 million people and cost an estimated $90 million over five days.
Rather than suppressing protests, the blackout pushed demonstrators into the streets. Without online coordination, protests decentralized and expanded.
Mubarak fell 18 days after ordering the shutdown. The event established that internet blackouts can backfire, accelerating rather than preventing regime change.
Gabon's government faces similar calculus: shutdowns impose real costs and may energize opposition rather than silence it. The Egypt case became a foundational study in why digital repression often fails.
Nigeria blocked Twitter for seven months after the platform removed posts by President Muhammadu Buhari. The government demanded Twitter register locally and pay taxes before restoring access. Businesses and civil society used VPNs to maintain access.
Twitter eventually complied with some government demands and access was restored in January 2022.
The ECOWAS Court ruled the ban unlawful, establishing regional legal precedent that such shutdowns violate freedom of expression. The ruling has been cited in subsequent digital rights cases.
Nigeria's case shows both the limits and precedents of African social media bans. Gabon faces similar legal vulnerabilities, though regional court rulings have proven difficult to enforce.
President Yoweri Museveni ordered a complete internet blackout for five days surrounding the January 14, 2021 presidential election, which he won against opposition challenger Bobi Wine. The shutdown cost an estimated $8.9 million.
Museveni claimed victory, though international observers could not verify results without internet access.
The shutdown became a template for African election manipulation. Studies showed it damaged public trust and international standing without eliminating political opposition.
Uganda demonstrates how shutdowns have become a standard tool in the African authoritarian playbook. Gabon's use during labor unrest—rather than elections—shows the tactic expanding to new contexts.