Afghanistan’s private sector reports millions in losses from two-day internet blackout

Afghanistan’s private sector says the nationwide two-day disruption of internet and telecommunication services has caused millions of dollars in economic losses, affecting trade, industry, and social connectivity across the country.

Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment warned that the outage created serious challenges in exports, imports, transit, and domestic trade, leading to significant damage to the economy. They urged the Islamic Emirate to take stronger preventive measures to avoid a recurrence.

Mohammad Younus Mohmand, former deputy head of the Chamber, described the impact as far-reaching. “The internet outage harmed Afghanistan’s trade, industry, the movement of goods, education, and even travel. Today, the need for internet and mobile services is like the need for the soul and body,” he said.

Industry leaders echoed these concerns. Abdul Jabbar Safi, head of the union of industrialists, noted that both businesses and families were cut off during the blackout. “In all sectors, industrialists suffered losses. On the social side, people inside and outside the country could not communicate with each other,” he explained.

Executives from large manufacturing companies also highlighted the operational setbacks. Abdul Nasir Reshtia, executive director of the iron smelting factories union, said: “Goods were stuck at customs and couldn’t be processed. Many factories needed raw materials from abroad. These two days caused delays and disrupted production.”

The outage also affected aviation, with ticket sales and flight operations halted until services were restored. Traders in Nangarhar province, particularly those engaged in online businesses, reported that their work came to a complete standstill during the blackout.

Experts say the episode underscores the critical role of telecommunications in Afghanistan’s social, economic, and commercial life. They emphasize that uninterrupted internet and telecom services are essential to sustaining the country’s fragile economy and ensuring daily connectivity for its people.