Group wants courts to block Tanzania from cutting Internet

On Techpoint Digest, we discuss an NGO’s push to stop Tanzania from shutting down the Internet, the startup making banking work in Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa, and NALA’s expansion to Ghana.

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NGO wants courts to block Tanzania from cutting Internet

Meet the startup making banking work in Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa

NALA expands African footprint with new Ghana approval

NGO wants courts to block Tanzania from cutting Internet

Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash

Remember this? Internet blackout fuels anger in Tanzania’s capital

A Tanzanian civil society group is taking a stand against government Internet blackouts, asking the courts to rule that the state can’t simply pull the plug on online access whenever it sees fit. 

The NGO argues that shutting down the Internet violates citizens’ rights and harms freedom of expression, access to information and everyday digital life. The case is now before the courts as the country wrestles with how to balance security concerns with digital freedoms.

The legal challenge comes after repeated incidents where authorities reportedly shut down or throttled online services during protests, exams, or politically sensitive moments, moves critics say are heavy-handed and unnecessary. The NGO’s lawyers argue that the state’s broad powers to disrupt internet access are too vague and open to abuse, and that citizens should be legally protected against blanket shutdowns. It’s a rare case that puts digital rights squarely in the spotlight.

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For ordinary Tanzanians, an Internet shutdown isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a disruption to business, education, banking, communication and health services. In a country where mobile Internet plays a central role in daily life, cutting access can instantly paralyse commerce, stall payments, disconnect families, and silence digital voices. The NGO’s campaign taps into growing frustration over heavy-handed restrictions.

The case also echoes a wider trend across Africa and beyond, where governments have been criticised for using Internet shutdowns to control information flo...