Key facts
- Gabon has lifted an eight-month ban on social media.
- The ban was imposed on February 17.
- The High Communication Authority announced the U-turn on Saturday.
Gabon has lifted a ban on social media platforms that had been in place for eight months, a move that had drawn significant criticism. The High Communication Authority (HAC) announced the reversal on Saturday. The ban, introduced on February 17, was justified by the HAC as a measure to prevent online content from fueling conflict and deepening divisions. The decision impacted popular platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, which are widely used in the central African nation of approximately 2.5 million people, particularly by younger generations for both business and personal use. Many Gabonese resorted to using VPNs to maintain access. The ban coincided with a period of social unrest and strikes by teachers and civil servants protesting low pay and poor working conditions, shortly after President Brice Oligui Nguema's election. The opposition had labeled the suspension an abuse of power. Nguema, who won last year's elections with over 90% of the vote, came to power via a coup two years ago, ending the long rule of the Bongo family. He had pledged reforms in the country, which has a history of digital blackouts used by previous governments to control information.