Tanzania has lost Tsh560 billion through internet shutdown
Africa
By
Selina Mutua
| Nov 06, 2025
Tanzania’s internet disruption during the just concluded presidential election has left the country with a combined economic loss translating to over US $238 million (Tsh560 billion) in direct losses to productivity, trade, and digital services.
According to the NetBlocks’ Cost of Shutdown Tool (COST), the internet shutdown during elections and suspension of X since May 21, 2025, have cost the Tanzanian economy more than US $238 million (Tsh 560 billion) in direct losses to productivity, trade, and digital services.
The nationwide total internet shutdown, which lasted from October 29 to November 3, 2025, spanning 5 days and 6 hours, translates to a loss of at least US $72,333,826 (Tsh170.27 billion), which is about US $13.8 million (Tsh32 billion) per day.
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Suspension of X, which has been in force since May 2025 (166 days and counting), translates to a loss of US $165,817,059 (TZS 390.33 billion), which is nearly US $1 million (TZS 2.3 billion) per day.
Other losses include socio-political, security, information black markets, health setback, informal economy (mobile payments), and more.
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.
The tool is recognised globally for offering conservative, evidence-based estimates used by governments, the UN, and civil society researchers.
The revelations come even as digital rights group raised concerned about Tanzania’s election-period internet blackout, the continued suspension of X (formerly Twitter), and ongoing bandwidth throttling reported in parts of the country even after general connectivity was restored on 3rd November.
The Paradigm Initiative (PIN) in a statement said these disruptions are economically devastating and deeply damaging to digital rights.
According to the group, the 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, as 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.
PIN further said 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, to which Tanzania is a State party.
“Every shutdown chips away at trust, investment, and human potential,” said ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative.
He said 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 group also reminded Samia Suluhu’s regime of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Resolution 580 on Internet Shutdowns and Elections in Africa, which calls 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.
“As such, PIN calls on the government of Tanzania to comply with human rights by immediately restoring internet access to X and all restricted platforms and cease further internet or platform disruptions, especially during democratic processes,” said Mr Sesan.
He said Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should further guarantee network stability and freedom from interference, and publish transparency reports whenever they are ordered to shut down or throttle services by the State.