The Global Network Initiative (GNI) expresses deep concern about the nationwide internet shutdown in Tanzania that coincided with the country’s general elections in late October 2025, and calls on the Government of Tanzania to restore and maintain connectivity.
From the morning of October 29, major platforms such as X, WhatsApp, and Instagram were inaccessible, creating a digital blackout at a moment when transparency and the free flow of information were especially essential. This is not the first connectivity disruption in Tanzania. On August 30, 2024, access to Twitter was blocked for nearly 24 hours by several ISPs without explanation, coinciding with an online campaign highlighting allegations of murders, kidnappings, and disappearances. Tanzania’s experience also reflects a wider pattern. Internet shutdowns have doubled across Africa in less than a decade and similar disruptions were documented recently in Mozambique and Mauritius.
GNI and its members have long highlighted that network shutdowns carry severe human rights, safety, and economic consequences. As we set out in our Network Disruptions one-pager and other relevant resources, including reports focused on Africa, and as others have also explained in various statements, reports, and UN resolutions, network disruptions can have deep and disproportionate impacts on a variety of human rights and their consequences are often more acute in conflict scenarios.
In light of these developments in Tanzania, GNI calls on the Government of Tanzania to restore full internet connectivity, including access to social media platforms and communication services, and ensure that any future restrictions on internet connectivity fully comply with international human rights standards, are subject to independent oversight, and are necessary, proportionate, and time-bound.
About GNI
As a multistakeholder organization comprising many of the world’s leading tech companies, academics, civil society organizations, and investors, GNI works to protect and advance freedom of expression and privacy rights in the technology ecosystem. Based on the diverse experiences and expertise of our membership, our approach generates collaboration towards a more rights-respecting legal environment for technology users around the world.