Not a single day of 2025 passed without at least one internet shutdown. Last year, people across the world experienced the highest number of deliberate blackouts ever recorded by the #KeepItOn coalition.
Launching today, March 31, 2026, Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition’s new report, Rising repression meets global resistance: Internet shutdowns in 2025, reveals that at least 313 shutdowns were implemented in 52 countries. In Africa, the internet was shut down 30 times in 15 countries.
Year after year, authorities seek the power to influence elections, silence and isolate people, and attack our rights with impunity behind the digital armor of deliberate internet shutdowns. Not one of the 365 days of 2025 passed without perpetrators wielding shutdowns to lock entire populations out of communication, education, information, democratic participation, and emergency services. While people are meeting this growing repression with increasing resistance, we demand accountability. This flagrant disregard for human rights will not be our new world order.Felicia Anthonio, #KeepItOn Global Campaign Manager at Access Now
Key findings include:
- The new offenders: Angola shut down the internet for the first time in July 2025 for at least three hours in response to planned anti-government protests against rising fuel prices;
- The triggers: protests were once again the leading trigger for shutdowns in the region in 2025, with authorities in eight African countries imposing shutdowns 14 times during protests and political instability; this was followed by election-related shutdowns, with four countries targeted eight times;
- The entrenched offenders: Tanzania shut down the internet eight times in 2025, including twice during the election period amid documented human rights abuses; the Democratic Republic of the Congo pedalled back on its commitment to ensure internet access for all and shut down the internet across Goma throughout a humanitarian crisis; in Annobón, the Government of Equatorial Guinea continued to hold up the iron curtain, effectively cutting the small island from the rest of the world; and Uganda continued to block Facebook for the fifth year running; and
- The positives: the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) and other bodies carrying out election observation missions raised concerns and recognised the gravity of internet shutdowns during democratic processes such as elections.
While incredibly challenging for the millions cut off across Africa, 2025 also came with demonstrable resilience from civil society and people affected by internet shutdowns. From litigating against unconstitutional blocks to finding alternative means to document human rights violations, people fought for accountability. Critical rights including the freedoms of expression and assembly are under attack, and Access Now urges other stakeholders to get it right — from governments to Big Tech — guard hard won human rights, and join the fight against internet shutdowns.Bridget Andere, Senior Policy Analyst at Access Now
In 2025, shutdowns were implemented in 15 countries in Africa: Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda.
Read the full report, global snapshot, and shutdowns dashboard.