TikTok Addresses Access Issues in Northern Nigeria

TikTok has distanced itself from claims of implementing restrictions on its platform in parts of Northern Nigeria, specifically in Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, and Sokoto states. The company stated it is engaging relevant stakeholders to address the ongoing disruption reported by users.

This issue began around September 14, 2026, with complaints from users about videos not loading, feeds not refreshing, and uploads stalling when using regular mobile data connections. A report by Tech Digest on September 17 documented these complaints, noting that some users found that using a VPN restored access to TikTok.

Civil society organizations have called for an investigation into the cause of the disruption, urging the government, telecommunications regulators, and service providers to clarify whether any deliberate restrictions were imposed. As of the coalition's statement, it remained unclear whether the disruption was due to a technical fault, network routing problem, platform-side issue, traffic management measure, or intentional restriction.