World
Gabon says access to social media restored after eight-month ban
The authorities had justified the ban by saying online content was fuelling conflict, while the opposition had condemned it as an abuse of power.
BBC World•
Gabon says it has lifted a ban on social media imposed eight months ago - a move that triggered widespread criticism at the time.
The High Communication Authority (HAC) announced the U-turn on Saturday in a televised statement. The BBC has approached the country's media regulator for comment.
The ban had been introduced on 17 February, with the HAC saying that online content was fuelling conflict and deepening divisions in the country.
The ban had been imposed at a time when the Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema was facing a wave of social unrest less than a year after his election.