In Guinea, internet outages are becoming almost a harbinger of major elections. In 2025, as the country navigates a pivotal year marked by the constitutional referendum followed by the presidential election, citizens are once again experiencing widespread disruptions to internet connections.

During the referendum period for the new Constitution, networks were severely slowed down, or even inaccessible. And as the 2025 presidential election approaches, the same scenario is repeating itself: internet shutdowns, blocked social networks, and the population forced to download VPNs to stay connected to Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, or even X.

"It's the same story every time there's an election. They cut off the internet, they prevent people from communicating. Today, even to follow the news, you have to go through a VPN," laments an internet user from Conakry.

Officially, these restrictions are justified by security concerns and the fight against disinformation. But for many citizens, they primarily reflect a desire to control information during a sensitive period.

"The Internet has become an essential tool for freedom and transparency. Cutting it off deprives the population of its right to information," commented a teacher-researcher from the University of Sonfonia.

Beyond the political aspect, internet shutdowns also cause considerable economic losses: slowdown in online commerce, blocking of digital media, difficulties for businesses and students.

Thus, like 2025, Guinea illustrates an alarming reality: in a country where digital technology is at the heart of social and economic life, each internet outage weakens democracy and the national economy a little more.