TikTok has temporarily restricted access to its LIVE feature for users in Nigeria during late-night hours, as part of an ongoing safety investigation aimed at ensuring the platform remains secure and its community protected.

 

At midnight Nigerian time, TikTok sent an in-app notification to users, stating:
“LIVE⚫ Notices
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.”

 

According to reports, LIVE sessions that had been active earlier in the night were suddenly inaccessible between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., with affected accounts displaying a “No Access” message. During this time, creators were also unable to view LIVE broadcasts from other countries.

 

Only users with at least 1,000 followers the minimum required to host a LIVE session received the notification. Several creators confirmed that all LIVE activities were halted overnight. Despite the interruption, creators who earn revenue through LIVE gifting found that their balances and previous earnings remained intact, alleviating concerns of financial loss.

 

By Monday morning, LIVE access had been restored, but the disruption sparked discussions across social media, with users speculating about the cause of the sudden, nationwide restriction.

Night-time hours are typically peak times for Nigerian streamers, who host entertainment segments, live games, and interactive Q&As that attract a significant number of viewers and virtual gifts.

 

The move follows a recent update from TikTok, where the company shared safety statistics for the West African region. During the West Africa Safety Summit in Dakar, Senegal, TikTok revealed that between April and June 2025, it took action against over 2.3 million LIVE sessions and 1.04 million LIVE creators globally for violating its LIVE Monetisation Guidelines. In Nigeria, 49,512 LIVE sessions were banned during the same period.

 

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TikTok also reported removing more than 3.7 million videos in Nigeria during Q2 of 2025 for breaching Community Guidelines. Notably, 98.7% of these videos were removed before being viewed, and 91.9% were taken down within 24 hours.

 

TikTok LIVE is an in-app feature that allows users to broadcast in real time, creating opportunities for direct engagement with viewers through comments and virtual gifts. Unlike pre-recorded content, LIVE broadcasts offer a more interactive experience, where creators can host live Q&As, talent showcases, or just casual chats.

 

To use the feature, users must generally have at least 1,000 followers (sometimes fewer), be over 16 years old (18 to earn money), and maintain a clean account. Once eligible, they can start a live broadcast by selecting the ‘+’ button and choosing ‘LIVE,’ after which they can add a title and apply effects before starting the stream.

 

Source: Punch