A study has shown that Ethiopia is the leading country in Africa in terms of internet shutdowns between 2016 and 2024.

According to the study, during the period in question, internet services were shut down 190 times in Africa, of which Ethiopia was shut down 30 times.

The study, published in the form of a book titled Internet Shutdowns in Africa, indicates that internet shutdowns in Africa have more than doubled.

The study, which stated that there were 14 internet shutdowns in 2016, mentioned that it reached 28 in 2024. Sudan, followed by Ethiopia, recorded 21 internet shutdowns, while Algeria was also reported to have been shut down 14 times.

The study noted that internet outages in Ethiopia occurred primarily during the war in Tigray, which cut off communications and essential services for millions of people.

The study found that internet shutdowns are being widely used as a tool to suppress voices during protests, silence dissent, and limit political participation.