Two days after deferring Presidential elections, Senegal suspends mobile internet services

Mobile internet was temporarily suspended in Senegal on Monday, increasing fears in a country often hailed as one of Africa’s most secure democracies. This suspension, which came just days after President Macky Sall deferred the Presidential elections scheduled for February 25th, is the third of its kind in Senegal in the past nine months.

The government attributed the shutdown to the circulation of various hate, subversive messages on social networks, a rationale consistent with previous internet suspensions. Public protests broke out following President Sall’s announcement on Saturday of a six month delay to the Presidential elections.

“Senegal’s government has once again made the harmful decision to shut down the country’s mobile internet. The repercussions are extensive. It is often underestimated how integral mobile internet is to our daily lives,” said Tidjane Deme, general partner at Partech.

Political instability has escalated since the arrest of popular opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, in June 2023. Following his arrest, at least two other prominent opposition leaders were detained, while some were assaulted by police.

In Dakar, residents reported being forced to rely on WiFi for internet access. In August, the Senegalese government arrested five people for illegally selling Starlink terminals.

Analysts estimate that the June shutdown resulted in Senegal losing around $300,000 per hour. Government-imposed internet shutdowns in Sub-Saharan African countries resulted in a loss of roughly $1.74 billion in 2023, according to a report by Top1vpn. Since the 2011 Arab Spring, internet shutdowns have become an increasingly common means for African governments to exert control. Last year, at least ten African countries experienced internet shutdowns.