Gabon has ordered an immediate and indefinite suspension of all social media platforms. The directive, issued late Tuesday by the High Authority for Communication (HAC), cites the need to curb the spread of false information” and protect national security.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the monitoring group NetBlocks confirmed that major services, including WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, have been restricted across most local internet service providers.
The HAC, through spokesperson Jean-Claude Mendome, stated that the blackout was a necessary response to a surge in “inappropriate, defamatory, and hateful content.” The regulator argued that coordinated cyberbullying and the unauthorized disclosure of personal data were being used to “destabilize the republic’s institutions” and undermine social cohesion.
However, critics and civil rights activists view the timing of the ban with deep skepticism. The blackout comes as President Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema faces a growing wave of domestic pressure, including a massive teacher strike over pay that has persisted since December 2025. This unrest has recently spread to the health and broadcasting sectors, while public dissatisfaction mounts over the rising cost of living and high unemployment rates.
The move is particularly striking given President Nguema’s previous promises of reform. After taking power in a 2023 coup that ended the Bongo family’s 56-year rule, Nguema was officially elected in 2025. During his campaign, he pledged to move away from the restrictive tactics of the previous administration, which frequently used internet shutdowns to control the flow of information during elections.
The government has not revealed the official timeline for the restoration of services.
