Gabon’s media regulator has announced the suspension of social media platforms “until further notice”, saying online content has fuelled conflict and deepened divisions in the country.
In a televised statement on Tuesday evening, the High Authority for Communication (HAC) cited the “spread of false information,” “cyberbullying,” and the “unauthorised disclosure of personal data” as reasons for the decision.
Its spokesperson Jean-Claude Mendome did not specify which platforms would be affected, but WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok are popular in the country.
Gabon is currently transitioning from a military coup led in 2023 by General Brice Oligui Nguema, who won last year’s presidential election.
The 50-year-old president is facing growing social unrest, with teachers and other civil servants staging strikes over pay and working conditions.
Social media platforms were still accessible on Wednesday morning, but a switch-off is expected soon.
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Mendome’s announcement has come as a shock to the central African nation of about 2.5 million people, where social media is particularly popular with younger people who use it for business as well as pleasure.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a restaurant owner in the capital, Libreville, told the BBC the suspension would greatly affect his business, since he uses social media for promotion.
“Almost 40% of my customers decided to order or come to the restaurant after seeing our advertising on social media… I won’t be able to catch new customers, because clients are attracted by what they are seeing, reviews from friends, pictures,” he said.
“We are entering a phase where we don’t even know if we are moving forward with global development or if we are sliding backward into total underdevelopment.”
However, a taxi driver seemed unbothered about the move, telling the BBC: “There’s no smoke without fire.
“For the authorities to take such a decision, something must have certainly prompted it.”
