Gabon’s media regulator has announced the suspension of social media platforms “until further notice,” citing concerns over misinformation and rising social tensions.
In a televised address on Tuesday evening, the High Authority for Communication (HAC) said the decision was prompted by the spread of false information, cyberbullying, and the unauthorised disclosure of personal data.
HAC spokesperson Jean-Claude Mendome did not specify which platforms would be affected, but WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok are among the most widely used in the country.
Gabon is led by President Brice Oligui Nguema, who won last year’s presidential election after seizing power in a 2023 military coup that ended more than five decades of rule by the Bongo family.
The 50-year-old leader is currently facing growing social unrest, with teachers and other civil servants staging strikes over pay and working conditions since December. Protests have spread across sectors including health and education.
Although social media platforms remained accessible on Wednesday morning, a shutdown is expected.
The announcement has unsettled many in the Central African nation of about 2.5 million people, where social media is particularly popular among young entrepreneurs and small businesses.
A restaurant owner in the capital, Libreville, told the BBC that nearly 40% of his customers discover his business through online advertising and reviews.
“We won’t be able to attract new customers,” he said, warning that the suspension could push the country “backward into underdevelopment.”
However, some citizens appear to support the move. A taxi driver told the BBC that authorities likely had valid reasons for the decision.
During his campaign, Nguema pledged democratic reforms and greater transparency, allowing foreign and independent media to film ballot counting for the first time. However, previous governments frequently imposed digital blackouts to control information.
The regulator insisted that freedom of expression remains protected under Gabonese law but warned that online content deemed defamatory, hateful, or destabilising threatens national unity and security.
