Tanzania’s economy has taken a severe hit, losing an estimated $238 million (TSh560 billion) following a week-long internet shutdown that disrupted digital and economic activity from October 29 to November 3, 2025, according to data from the NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool (COST).
The blackout, which occurred just days before the country’s general election, brought trade, online services, and digital productivity to a standstill, while crippling mobile payments and online healthcare systems.
Analysts and civil rights groups have condemned the move, describing it as part of a troubling trend of pre-election internet restrictions spreading across several African nations.
Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a leading digital rights advocacy organisation, denounced the government’s actions as both economically destructive and a violation of human rights.
“This blatant defiance comes against calls by the Net Rights Coalition and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to refrain from shutting down the internet,” PIN said in a statement.
The organisation added that the shutdown violates Articles 9 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee freedom of expression and the right to development.
The report also revealed that X (formerly Twitter) has been suspended in Tanzania since May 21, 2025, an action that has already cost the economy an additional $165.8 million (TSh390 billion), or nearly $1 million in losses per day, according to Business Insider Africa
Don’t Miss This:
Tanzania, Rwanda Strengthen Ties With New Agreements On Trade And Transport
While officials have not provided any formal explanation for the outage, critics suggest the disruptions are linked to government attempts to control communication ahead of the national polls.
Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, warned that such actions carry lasting economic and social consequences. “Every shutdown
Tanzania’s Ban On Foreign Small Businesses Sparks Rising Trade Tensions With Kenya chips away at trust, investment, and human potential. Governments must realise that in today’s world, connectivity is the foundation of opportunity. Shutting down the internet silences citizens, stalls economies, and sets entire nations back,” he said.
The NetBlocks COST model, which combines data from the World Bank, ITU, and Eurostat, is widely recognised for its evidence-based measurement of economic losses from internet shutdowns, findings that have been cited by the United Nations and other global institutions.
Across the continent, similar internet blackouts in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda have intensified debate over Africa’s digital future.
Tanzania’s experience, observers say, demonstrates that the cost of silencing the internet goes far beyond financial loss, it threatens the very core of Africa’s democratic and digital progress.
Don’t Miss This:
Tanzania Steps Up Efforts To Reclaim Control Over Its Gold Resources
Image Credit: Royal African Society
