The United Nations has identified affordable internet access as a key sustainable development goal. However, some leaders, despite their ongoing efforts to develop their countries, are restricting internet access to their populations for various reasons.

Since November 24, 2023, the Guinean government has imposed restrictions on internet access and social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. According to the British platform Top10VPN, these measures have cost the country approximately $47.4 million. The Guinean authorities have not yet explained the restrictions.

This blackout, which has lasted over 40 days, is not the first instance of such restrictions. In May 2023, amidst popular protests, the government limited access to social media for three days. According to the 2022 annual report of the local telecom regulator ARPT, Guinean internet users experienced 3,720 hours of internet outages and social media restrictions in 2023, affecting 6.98 million mobile internet subscribers.

Earlier this year, the Guinean tech industry association RESTIC –Rassemblement des entreprises du secteur des technologies de l'information et de la communication– called for the immediate restoration of internet access in the country and appealed to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for assistance in persuading the current regime.

Despite the ongoing digital transformation in Africa, several regimes have used internet restrictions to silence their populations. Senegal and Ethiopia, for instance, lost $57.5 million and $1.59 billion respectively in 2023 due to internet and social media blackouts, according to Top10VPN. Notably, Ethiopia is the second country to incur such significant losses due to internet and social media blackouts. It's worth noting that this practice is not exclusive to African countries. Amidst the war in Ukraine, Russia has resorted to similar measures, as have countries like Iran, Iraq, and Brazil.

Adoni Conrad Quenum