Gabon has suspended major social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram, following a decision by the country’s media regulator over concerns that online content is fueling anti-government protests. The move, confirmed by connectivity monitor NetBlocks and AFP journalists on Wednesday, applies until further notice.
The Haute Autorité de la Communication (HAC), Gabon’s communications regulator, announced the “immediate suspension” on Tuesday. Spokesman Jean-Claude Mendome stated that social media was host to “inappropriate, defamatory, hateful, and insulting content” that undermines “human dignity, public morality, the honour of citizens, social cohesion, the stability of the Republic’s institutions, and national security.” He cited the spread of false information, cyberbullying, and unauthorised disclosure of personal data as additional reasons, arguing such actions could “generate social conflict, destabilise the institutions of the Republic, and seriously jeopardise national unity.”
The President’s spokesperson, Théophane Nzamé-Nzé-Biyoghe, framed the suspension as a necessary step after “several months of deliberation,” describing it as a measure to “initiate the debate and send a strong signal.”
The opposition swiftly condemned the ban. Alain-Claude Bilie-Bi-Nze, leader of the “Together for Gabon” party and a former prime minister, called it a “serious violation of fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.” He accused the government of imposing “a climate of fear and repression” and urged civil society and citizens “dedicated to freedom to mobilise and block this liberty-destroying excess.”
The social media shutdown coincides with a wave of labour unrest. Teachers began striking in December over pay and conditions, a protest that has since spread to health, higher education, and broadcasting sectors. The wage freeze, imposed a decade ago under former president Ali Bongo, has left public sector workers struggling with the rising cost of living. Authorities arrested two prominent teachers’ protest leaders last month, creating an atmosphere of intimidation.
President Brice Oligui Nguema, who came to power after a 2023 military coup that ended the Bongo family’s 55-year rule, won a presidential election in April with a large majority. His administration had previously addressed some teachers’ demands during a two-year transition to calm tensions. However, the current protests represent his first major challenge to public order.
While the HAC asserted that “freedom of expression, including freedom of comment and criticism,” remains a constitutional right, the suspension of widely used platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook significantly restricts digital communication for many Gabonese. The regulator’s action highlights the tension between state security concerns and civil liberties amid ongoing social discontent. The duration of the ban and its impact on the protest movement remain uncertain as the government seeks to control the narrative and maintain stability.
