Tanzania’s economy has suffered losses exceeding KSh 30 billion following a five-day internet blackout ordered by President Samia Suluhu’s administration during the election period, according to a new report by the digital rights group Paradigm Initiative (PIN).
The organisation estimates that the country lost more than USD 238 million (KSh 30.7 billion) due to the shutdown and the ongoing suspension of X. The report states that from Monday, October 29, to Monday, November 3, 2025, Tanzania was offline for 126 hours, resulting in direct losses of USD 72.3 million (KSh 9 billion). Meanwhile, the continued blockage of X since May 2025 has cost the nation an additional USD 165.8 million (KSh 21 billion).
PIN noted that these losses extend far beyond the immediate economic hit, affecting productivity, trade, and digital services. “The total economic damage surpasses USD 238 million, not including broader impacts such as reduced security, loss of access to information, and setbacks in sectors like healthcare and mobile finance,” the report explained.
The findings are based on the NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool (COST), an internationally recognised model used to assess the financial toll of internet disruptions. PIN condemned the move as a violation of fundamental freedoms and a breach of resolutions by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“Every internet shutdown weakens human potential, disrupts investment, and erodes public trust,” said PIN executive director Gbenga Sesan. “Connectivity today is the foundation of opportunity, cutting it off silences people, halts businesses, and drags nations backward.”
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Speaking in Nairobi, PIN spokesperson Miriam Beatrice Wanjiru decried the economic and social repercussions, highlighting that the five-day blackout cost the country three times the ICT Ministry’s annual budget. “In 2025, denying citizens internet access, especially during elections, is not only a human rights violation but also a blow to national progress. The lost funds could have strengthened essential sectors like technology and healthcare,” she said, as quoted by Citizen Digital.
Following the disputed election, Tanzania began partially restoring internet access, though platforms like X and messaging services remained blocked. President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in for a second term under tight security, amid accusations from the opposition of electoral fraud and reports of violent post-election crackdowns.
