Gitega's loud ads drive away customers
Businesses in Burundi's capital report lost sales due to incessant advertising noise.
Loud, repetitive advertising from a digital billboard in Gitega, Burundi, is disrupting daily life and harming businesses. The sound, described as strident and deafening, plays on a loop for months, forcing pedestrians to cover their ears and making normal conversation impossible.
Taxi drivers report losing customers because the noise prevents them from negotiating fares, and nearby hotels are experiencing complaints from guests seeking quiet. Shopkeepers and boutique owners also note that customers cut their visits short, finding the advertising repellent rather than attractive.
Residents and local doctors are concerned about the long-term health effects of constant high-decibel noise, including chronic stress, sleep disturbances, and hearing damage. The population is appealing to the administration for intervention to stop the disruptive advertising.
Why it mattersBusinesses in Gitega are losing customers and income due to disruptive advertising noise, with residents also facing potential health risks.