TikTok has temporarily blocked access to its LIVE feature for users in Nigeria during late-night hours, issuing an in-app alert that the move is part of a broader safety investigation.
At exactly midnight on Sunday (Nigerian time), creators received a system notification stating, “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.”
Findings by PUNCH Online revealed that LIVE streams—previously active earlier in the evening—were fully disabled between 11pm and 5am. Affected users saw a “No Access” label on their LIVE interface, and the restriction also blocked them from viewing LIVE broadcasts originating from outside Nigeria.
Only creators with the minimum requirement of 1,000 followers—those eligible to host LIVE sessions—received the notice, and several confirmed that all nighttime LIVE activities were suspended throughout the period.
Despite the freeze, TikTok did not interfere with creators’ earnings. Those who rely on LIVE gifting found their balances intact, easing initial concerns about revenue loss.
By Monday morning, access had been restored, prompting widespread online discussions as users questioned the reason behind the sudden, nationwide halt. The timing raised particular concern because late-night hours are usually the busiest for Nigerian streamers who run watch-alongs, entertainment shows, interactive chats, and trend-driven sessions that attract significant viewership and virtual gifts.
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The temporary restriction comes shortly after TikTok released updated safety data for the West African region. During its West Africa Safety Summit in Dakar, Senegal, the platform revealed that in the second quarter of 2025, it had taken action against:
• 2,321,813 LIVE sessions and
• 1,040,356 LIVE creators globally for violating its LIVE monetisation rules.
In Nigeria specifically, TikTok banned 49,512 LIVE sessions during the same period. The company also reported removing 3,780,426 videos from Nigerian users between April and June 2025 for breaching Community Guidelines, with 98.7% taken down before anyone viewed them and 91.9% removed within 24 hours.
TikTok LIVE, unlike pre-recorded videos, allows creators to interact with viewers in real time through comments, virtual gifts, Q&A sessions, talent showcases, and casual conversations. To host LIVE sessions, users typically need at least 1,000 followers, must be 16 or older (18 to earn money), maintain a clean account, and select the LIVE option from the “+” menu.