Internet shutdowns and social media restrictions cost sub-Saharan Africa an estimated US$1.11 billion in 2025, according to a new report by Top10VPN, underscoring the economic toll of digital disruptions across the continent.
The Global Cost of Internet Shutdowns report found that governments across the region imposed 24,276 hours of internet disruptions last year, affecting 116.1 million users. While losses declined from US$1.56 billion in 2024, the financial impact remained substantial. Globally, shutdowns generated an estimated US$19.7 billion in economic damage.
Authorities often enforced restrictions during elections, protests, school examinations, and military coups. Social media platforms including Twitter, Telegram, TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp were frequently targeted, with some governments implementing deliberate slowdowns that limited access to multimedia content and live broadcasts.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo recorded the highest economic losses on the continent, with US$67.2 million in damage after 1,008 hours of disruptions affecting 34.7 million users. Sudan followed closely, reporting US$66.6 million in losses over 2,148 hours of shutdowns, impacting 14.9 million users. Cameroon incurred US$40.5 million in losses, with 52 hours of restricted access affecting 12.6 million users.
According to the report, analysts calculated the economic cost using the Netblocks Cost of Shutdown Tool, developed by Netblocks and based on a methodology designed by the Brookings Institution. The model factors in digital GDP, duration of disruption, and the number of affected users, drawing on data from the World Bank and official government statistics.
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The findings come as African governments push ambitious digital transformation agendas to expand connectivity, boost innovation, and attract investment. Analysts warn that deliberate internet disruptions undermine these goals by reducing revenues for telecom operators, digital businesses, and households while eroding investor confidence.
In January 2026, UNESCO emphasized that internet access is a pillar of freedom of expression and democratic participation, urging governments to adopt policies that promote connectivity rather than restrict it.
Despite a slight year-on-year decline in financial losses, the report highlights the continuing economic and developmental costs of internet shutdowns across sub-Saharan Africa.
Internet shutdowns have become a recurring feature across parts of sub-Saharan Africa over the past decade, often imposed during elections, protests, armed conflicts, school examinations, or periods of political tension. Governments typically justify the restrictions on grounds of national security or public order, but rights groups and digital policy advocates argue that such measures disrupt economic activity, limit access to information, and undermine democratic participation.
According to research by Top10VPN, sub-Saharan Africa lost an estimated US$1.11 billion to internet shutdowns in 2025, down from US$1.56 billion in 2024. The calculations are based on the Netblocks Cost of Shutdown Tool, developed by Netblocks using a methodology designed by the Brookings Institution, which factors in digital GDP, duration of disruption, and the number of affected users.
Countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Cameroon recorded some of the highest economic losses in 2025.
As African governments invest heavily in digital transformation, fintech expansion, and e-commerce growth, shutdowns pose a growing contradiction—slowing innovation, reducing telecom revenues, and weakening investor confidence in increasingly connected economies.
