The Government of Equatorial Guinea has restricted citizens from using mobile data to download and share multimedia files on WhatsApp.
This move follows government-issued guidelines to telecommunications operators, urging measures to limit access to inappropriate content.
The restriction comes on the heels of a scandal involving Baltasar Engonga, Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency, who became embroiled in a high-profile sex scandal.
Engonga, a 54-year-old economist, was being investigated for fraud when a search of his home and office reportedly uncovered CDs containing over 400 videos of his encounters with various married women, including prominent individuals like his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of Equatorial Guinea’s President, the wife of the Director General of Police, and wives of around 20 ministers.
The recordings, allegedly consensual, have since leaked online, sparking significant public controversy.
Amid this development, local news platform Ahora EG reported widespread frustration among citizens, who can no longer share photos, videos, or audio via mobile data, forcing them to rely solely on WiFi. A source commented, “Should an entire country pay for the actions of a few? The restrictions are disproportionate, affecting thousands of users who rely on these platforms for work, education,