Sub-Saharan African countries incurred a loss of $1.56 billion due to government-imposed internet shutdowns in 2024, according to a report by Top10VPN, an international VPN review website. This accounts for 19% of the global $7.69 billion lost to internet disruptions and marks a 10% decrease from the $1.74 billion recorded in 2023.
The report highlights that a total of 28 internet shutdowns occurred across 28 countries, with 13 African nations, including Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Algeria, among the affected.
Notably, Nigeria was one of the few Sub-Saharan African countries to avoid internet shutdowns in 2024. Experts view this as a significant achievement, enabling uninterrupted access to communication, information, and online activities for Nigerians.
Sudan emerged as the hardest-hit African nation, losing $1.12 billion to prolonged internet shutdowns spanning over 12,707 hours (529 days). These disruptions were largely attributed to ongoing conflict, which has claimed 13,000 lives and displaced over 10 million people.
Protests led to internet shutdowns in Kenya and Ethiopia, with losses amounting to $75 million and $211 million, respectively. Major platforms like X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Signal, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp were restricted, impacting approximately 111.2 million users in the region.
Globally, Asia experienced the highest economic impact from internet shutdowns in 2024, losing $4.64 billion over 48,807 hours of disruptions affecting 331.3 million users. Sub-Saharan Africa followed with $1.56 billion in losses over 32,938 hours of downtime.
While the global economic cost of internet shutdowns decreased by 16% compared to 2023, the duration of shutdowns increased by 12%.
The report underscores the economic and human toll of internet shutdowns, raising concerns over citizens’ reliance on potentially unsafe VPNs to bypass restrictions. It calls for global and regional efforts to address this issue, as prolonged disruptions not only harm economies but also infringe on fundamental rights to communication and access to information.
This data highlights the urgent need for governments to explore alternative methods of addressing security and social concerns without resorting to measures that stifle connectivity and economic growth.
