A non-profit organisation, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has raised concerns over Tanzania’s election period internet blackout and continued suspension of X (formerly Twitter).
The Executive Director, PIN, Mr Gbenga Sesan, said during a virtual media briefing that there was also ongoing bandwidth throttling reported in parts of the country.
An Internet blackout was imposed in Tanzania, after protests erupted on the nation’s election day, Oct 29.
General Internet connectivity was restored on Nov. 3, though bandwidth throttling still remains.
Sesan said that the shut down could cost the economy over $238 million.
He said that these disruptions are economically devastating and deeply damaging to digital rights.
According to him, this ‘blatant defiance’ comes after calls by the Net Rights Coalition and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to refrain from shutting down the internet.
“This is an affront to freedom of expression and access to information in terms of articles 9 and 19 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, respectively.
“There is a real economic loss incurred through internet shutdowns, which violates the right to development entrenched in Article 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“Tanzania is a state party to these agreements. Furthermore, the internet shutdown during elections came at a time when the Tanzanian government suspended access to X on May 21, 2025,’’ he said.
According to the NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool (COST), the two incidents have cost the Tanzanian economy more than US $238 million (TZS 560 billion) in direct losses to productivity, trade, and digital services.
Sesan said that the nationwide total internet shutdown, which lasted five days and six hours (126 hours) translated to a loss of at least US $72,333,826 (TZS 170.27 billion).
He said that this was about US $13.8 million (TZS 32 billion) per day.
The executive director said further that the suspension of X, which has been in force for 166 days and counting, translated to a loss of US $165,817,059 (TZS 390.33 billion)
According to him, this is nearly US $1 million (TZS 2.3 billion) per day.
Sesan said that the combined economic loss translates to over US $238 million (TZS 560 billion) in direct losses to productivity, trade, and digital services.
He said that other losses include socio-political, security, information black markets, health setback, informal economy (mobile payments, etc), and more.
According to him, NetBlocks’ COST model, which draws on data from the World Bank, ITU, and Eurostat, uses the Brookings Institution methodology to quantify the direct economic harm of shutdowns and platform blocks.
He said that the tool was recognised globally for offering conservative, evidence-based estimates used by governments, the UN, and civil-society researchers.
Sesan said: “Every shutdown 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.”
The PIN boss also reminded the Government of Tanzania of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Resolution 580 on Internet Shutdowns and Elections in Africa.
Sesan said this regulation called on state parties to take the necessary legislative and other measures to ensure unrestricted and uninterrupted access to the internet in the period leading up to, during and after elections.
He called on the Government of Tanzania to comply with human rights by doing the following immediately: restore internet access to X and all restricted platforms.
He said the government should cease further internet or platform disruptions, especially during democratic processes.
The executive director also called on Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to guarantee network stability and freedom from interference.
Sesan said the ISPs should also publish transparency reports whenever they are ordered to shut down or throttle services by the State.
