In 2025, internet shutdowns cost Sub-Saharan Africa $1.11 billion, disrupting the lives of more than 116 million internet users and slowing the region’s digital transformation. These disruptions, often linked to political crises, highlight the economic and democratic stakes of internet access.
Internet shutdowns and restrictions on access to digital platforms cost Sub-Saharan Africa $1.11 billion in 2025, according to the report The Cost of Internet Shutdowns in 2025 published by the British platform Top10VPN. Globally, these disruptions resulted in total losses of $19.7 billion, illustrating a worrying rise in attacks on connectivity.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, losses decreased compared to the $1.56 billion recorded in 2024, but they remain substantial. Shutdowns totaled 24,276 hours of disruption, affecting 116.1 million internet users in contexts of political unrest or conflict, including elections, protests, examinations, or military coups.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo was the most affected country, with losses amounting to $67.2 million and 34.7 million internet users impacted over 1,008 hours of disruption. Sudan, although affecting fewer users (14.9 million), recorded $66.6 million in losses over 2,148 hours, reflecting prolonged shutdowns. Cameroon suffered losses of $40.5 million, affecting 12.6 million internet users over 52 hours.
These disruptions frequently target social media platforms such as Twitter, Telegram, TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp, which are essential for communication, commerce, and information sharing. In some cases, governments impose intentional slowdowns, making access to multimedia content or live streaming virtually impossible.
The report indicates that the economic costs are estimated using the NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool, based on the methodology of the Brookings Institution and adapted to Sub-Saharan Africa. Losses take into account the digital GDP, the duration of disruptions, and the number of users affected, using data from reliable sources such as the World Bank and government statistics. Even restrictions targeting specific social networks are assessed across the entire internet user base, as they disrupt access for everyone, including those who do not actively use the blocked platforms.
These massive losses underscore the impact of internet shutdowns on the region’s economic development. As Sub-Saharan Africa invests in digital transformation to catch up, such disruptions hinder innovation and competitiveness, resulting in lost revenue for telecom operators, digital businesses, and individuals.
In a statement published in January 2026, UNESCO recalled that access to the internet is a pillar of freedom of expression and a central element of democratic rights, calling on states to adopt policies that promote connectivity rather than restrictions.