Access to major social media platforms has been disrupted in Gabon after the country’s media regulator ordered a suspension “until further notice”, a move that comes against the backdrop of mounting strikes and public discontent.

By Wednesday morning, users in parts of the country reported difficulty accessing Facebook and TikTok.

According to AFP, some accounts could no longer log in to the platforms. WhatsApp is also widely used across the country, although officials did not release a specific list of services affected.

The decision was announced late on Tuesday by the High Authority for Communication (HAC). In a televised address, the regulator’s spokesperson, Jean-Claude Mendome, said the measure was taken in response to what he described as the spread of false information, cyberbullying and the unauthorised disclosure of personal data. He claimed that certain online activities were fuelling conflict and deepening divisions within the country.

The suspension came at a politically sensitive moment. Gabon is governed by President Brice Oligui Nguema, who came to power after leading a military coup in 2023 and later secured victory in presidential elections last year. His administration is currently facing growing unrest, with teachers and other civil servants staging strikes over pay and working conditions.

The regulator has not indicated how long the suspension will last. Its statement offered no timeline or clear criteria for restoring access.

This is not the first time an African government has restricted access to social media.

In Nigeria, the federal government suspended Twitter on June 4, 2021, after the platform removed a post by former President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish regional secessionists. Telecommunications companies subsequently blocked access to the platform across the country.

The suspension remained in place from June 5, 2021 until January 2022, when access was restored.