TikTok Bans Nighttime Live Streaming in Nigeria

TikTok Temporarily Restricts Live Streaming in Nigeria

TikTok has implemented a temporary restriction on its live-streaming feature for users in Nigeria during late-night hours. The move is part of an ongoing safety review aimed at improving user protection on the platform.

The platform sent an in-app notification to creators over the weekend, explaining that the restriction is part of an internal investigation. At exactly midnight on Sunday, TikTok issued a system-wide alert stating:

"TikTok LIVE Update in Nigeria: We're temporarily limiting LIVE late at night in Nigeria as part of our investigation to ensure our platform remains safe and our community stays protected."

Users in Nigeria reported that live streaming was available earlier in the evening but was shut down between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Affected accounts displayed a "No Access" message when attempting to go live. Additionally, the limitation prevented Nigerian users from viewing live broadcasts hosted in other countries during the restricted hours.

TikTok has not provided further details on the nature of the investigation or the duration of the temporary measure. However, this action follows recent efforts by the company to address safety concerns in the region.

Safety Measures and Statistics in West Africa

This development comes weeks after TikTok released updated safety statistics for West Africa. During its West Africa Safety Summit in Dakar, Senegal, the company disclosed key findings related to content moderation and user engagement.

In the second quarter of 2025, TikTok took action against 2,321,813 LIVE sessions and 1,040,356 LIVE creators globally for violating its LIVE Monetisation guidelines. In Nigeria alone, 49,512 LIVE sessions were banned within the same period.

The company also reported significant efforts to remove content that breaches its Community Guidelines. Between April and June 2025, 3,780,426 videos were removed in Nigeria. Notably, 98.7% of these videos were taken down before being viewed, and 91.9% were removed within 24 hours of being posted.

These figures highlight TikTok’s continued focus on maintaining a safe and compliant environment for users, particularly in regions where online activity is rapidly growing.

Impact on Users and Creators

The temporary restriction on live streaming has raised questions among Nigerian users and content creators. Many rely on late-night streams for engagement and monetization, and the sudden change could affect their ability to connect with audiences.

While TikTok has not specified the exact reasons for the restriction, the move aligns with broader industry trends of platforms implementing stricter policies to combat harmful content and ensure user safety.

For now, users are advised to monitor official channels for updates on when the restriction might be lifted. Until then, the platform remains focused on its internal investigation and improving overall safety measures.