TikTok temporarily restricted access to its LIVE feature for users in Nigeria during late-night hours as part of a safety review, the platform confirmed in an in-app notification to creators.
Late Sunday night, Nigerian users received a system alert 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 checks by PUNCH Online, LIVE sessions that were active earlier in the evening became unavailable between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., with affected accounts displaying a “No Access” label. The restriction also blocked creators from viewing LIVE broadcasts from other countries.
The notification was sent only to creators with at least 1,000 followers, the minimum requirement to host a LIVE session. Several users confirmed that all LIVE activity had been halted overnight.
Despite the pause, creators who earn through LIVE gifting retained their balances and previous earnings, ensuring no financial loss occurred. By Monday morning, LIVE access had been restored, prompting speculation on social media about the reason behind the sudden nationwide restriction.
Late-night hours are typically peak periods for Nigerian streamers, who use the feature to host gaming sessions, entertainment shows, trends, and other interactive content that attract viewers and virtual gifts.
The development follows TikTok’s recent release of updated safety data for West Africa. During its West Africa Safety Summit in Dakar, Senegal, the company revealed that in the second quarter of 2025, it took action against 2,321,813 LIVE sessions and 1,040,356 LIVE creators globally for violating LIVE Monetisation guidelines. In Nigeria alone, 49,512 LIVE sessions were banned during the same period.
TikTok also reported removing 3,780,426 videos in Nigeria between April and June 2025 for breaching Community Guidelines, with 98.7% deleted before being viewed and 91.9% removed within 24 hours.
TikTok LIVE enables users to broadcast in real-time, interact with viewers through comments and virtual gifts, and host sessions such as Q&As, talent showcases, or casual chats. To go LIVE, creators typically need 1,000+ followers (sometimes fewer), be at least 16 years old (18 to earn money), maintain a clean account, and select LIVE via the ‘+’ button, adding a title and effects before starting
