The Government of Equatorial Guinea has imposed restrictions on its citizens regarding the downloading and sharing multimedia files via mobile data on WhatsApp.
To ensure compliance, they ordered telecommunications providers take steps to limit access to inappropriate content.
The situation gained attention due to a scandal involving Baltasar Engonga, the Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency, who was implicated in a controversy involving the spouses of very high profile government officials And prominent citizens.
The scandal surfaced during a fraud investigation targeting the 54-year-old economist, which led to an unannounced search of his residence and office by ANIF officials. During this search, they discovered multiple CDs that unveiled his illicit encounters with various married women.
Over 400 videos include interactions with notable figures, such as his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the President of Equatorial Guinea, the wife of the Director General of Police, and approximately 20 wives of ministers in the country.
The footage, found in his office, was reportedly recorded with the consent of the women and has since been leaked online, sparking significant media attention.
In a recent update, a local news outlet, Ahora EG, highlighted that citizens have expressed frustration over their inability to share photos, videos, and audio files while using mobile data, prompting many to rely solely on WiFi networks.
The platform quoted a source as saying, “Should an entire country pay for the actions of a few? The likely decision to restrict access to essential communication functions seems disproportionate and punitive, affecting thousands of users of these platforms who, in addition to serving them for entertainment, also use them for their work and/or educational activities.
“In a world where digitalisation is becoming more and more important, should we shut down our platforms and paralyse our activities due to the actions of a few? Currently, users are forced to rely exclusively on WiFi connections, which not only limits their ability to communicate but also interferes with their daily activities.
“This situation has generated a heated debate among the population, where many believe that the measure seems to be more focused on controlling than facilitating communication.”
Another also said: “Is it really fair that everyone should suffer the consequences of the actions of a few? The authorities have not yet provided any explanation for the reasons behind this restriction, as well as the duration of the same. At a time when information and communication are more vital than ever, the lack of transparency only aggravates citizens’ concerns.”