
Internet Shutdowns in Africa
Technology, Rights and Power
Zed Books Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 16. October 2025
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-350-46428-5 (ISBN)
Description
This open access book provides ten in-depth case studies of state-sponsored internet shutdowns across all regions of Africa. In so doing, it offers the first-ever comparative analysis of how African states use internet shutdowns as tools to close civic space, suppress opposition, and maintain power.
Authored entirely by African researchers, Internet Shutdowns in Africa shows how shutdowns are used as a tactic of war, to blackout news of state violence, or to disrupt opposition protests. At the same time, the findings gathered here demonstrate the wide variety of forms these shutdowns take: they can be nationwide or localised; they can target a specific social media platform or website; or they can avoid the appearance of a complete shutdown by throttling connection speeds; and all of these types of shutdowns can last weeks, months, or even years. Ultimately, the book provides a unique comparative assessment of the dramatic economic, social, and political consequences of shutdowns - some intentional and some unintended - as well as on how different demographic groups are affected in very different ways, all of which produces actionable recommendations.
The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.
Authored entirely by African researchers, Internet Shutdowns in Africa shows how shutdowns are used as a tactic of war, to blackout news of state violence, or to disrupt opposition protests. At the same time, the findings gathered here demonstrate the wide variety of forms these shutdowns take: they can be nationwide or localised; they can target a specific social media platform or website; or they can avoid the appearance of a complete shutdown by throttling connection speeds; and all of these types of shutdowns can last weeks, months, or even years. Ultimately, the book provides a unique comparative assessment of the dramatic economic, social, and political consequences of shutdowns - some intentional and some unintended - as well as on how different demographic groups are affected in very different ways, all of which produces actionable recommendations.
The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
619 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-350-46428-5 (9781350464285)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Tony Roberts is a Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex, where he works on digital inequalities and digital rights. He is currently the Principal Investigator on the GCRF-UKRI-funded African Digital Rights Network.
Felicia Anthonio is Campaign Manager for #KeepItOn at Access Now, a global campaign of over 300 organisations that fights against internet shutdowns. She was formerly a programme associate at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), where she coordinated the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a continental network of free expression organisations in Africa. She is a member of the African Digital Rights Network and a 2019 Fellow of the African Internet Governance School (AfriSIG).
Felicia Anthonio is Campaign Manager for #KeepItOn at Access Now, a global campaign of over 300 organisations that fights against internet shutdowns. She was formerly a programme associate at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), where she coordinated the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a continental network of free expression organisations in Africa. She is a member of the African Digital Rights Network and a 2019 Fellow of the African Internet Governance School (AfriSIG).
Content
List of Illustrations
List of Contributors
Chapter 1. An Introduction to Critical Internet Shutdowns Research in Africa - Tony Roberts & Felicia Anthonio
Chapter 2. Zimbabwe's 2019 Internet Shutdown: The Interplay of Technology, Rights and Power
Nompilo Simanje
Chapter 3. Internet Shutdowns in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Arsene Tungali
Chapter 4. Weaponization of the Internet During Zambia's 2021 Election
Susan Mwape
Chapter 5. Human Rights, Armed Conflicts and Internet Shutdowns in Ethiopia
Yohannes Eneyew Ayalew and Lea Mehari Redae
Chapter 6. Internet Shutdowns in Sudan, Power, Counter-Power and Rights
Khattab Hamad
Chapter 7. A Rights-Based Approach to Assessing Internet Shutdowns in Nigeria
Thobekile Matimbe and Charles Kajoloweka
Chapter 8. Internet Shutdowns in Chad
Qemal Affagnon
Chapter 9. Internet Shutdowns in Senegal: How Power Interests Prevail Over Citizen Rights
Ababacar Diop
Chapter 10. Internet Shutdowns in Burkina Faso: Technology, Rights and Power
Harold Adjaho
Chapter 11. Algeria's Internet Shutdowns and School Exams
Kassem Mnejja
Chapter 12. Uganda's 2021 Election: Platforms Versus the State Versus Citizens
Juliet Nanfuka
Chapter 13. Conclusions on Critical Internet Shutdown Research
Tony Roberts & Felicia Anthonio
Index
List of Contributors
Chapter 1. An Introduction to Critical Internet Shutdowns Research in Africa - Tony Roberts & Felicia Anthonio
Chapter 2. Zimbabwe's 2019 Internet Shutdown: The Interplay of Technology, Rights and Power
Nompilo Simanje
Chapter 3. Internet Shutdowns in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Arsene Tungali
Chapter 4. Weaponization of the Internet During Zambia's 2021 Election
Susan Mwape
Chapter 5. Human Rights, Armed Conflicts and Internet Shutdowns in Ethiopia
Yohannes Eneyew Ayalew and Lea Mehari Redae
Chapter 6. Internet Shutdowns in Sudan, Power, Counter-Power and Rights
Khattab Hamad
Chapter 7. A Rights-Based Approach to Assessing Internet Shutdowns in Nigeria
Thobekile Matimbe and Charles Kajoloweka
Chapter 8. Internet Shutdowns in Chad
Qemal Affagnon
Chapter 9. Internet Shutdowns in Senegal: How Power Interests Prevail Over Citizen Rights
Ababacar Diop
Chapter 10. Internet Shutdowns in Burkina Faso: Technology, Rights and Power
Harold Adjaho
Chapter 11. Algeria's Internet Shutdowns and School Exams
Kassem Mnejja
Chapter 12. Uganda's 2021 Election: Platforms Versus the State Versus Citizens
Juliet Nanfuka
Chapter 13. Conclusions on Critical Internet Shutdown Research
Tony Roberts & Felicia Anthonio
Index