TikTok has denied imposing restrictions on access to its platform in parts of Northern Nigeria, saying it is engaging relevant stakeholders to address disruptions reported by users.

The company’s response follows reports of prolonged difficulties accessing the short-video sharing platform in Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi and Sokoto states. Some affected users have reportedly resorted to virtual private networks to regain access.

TikTok disclosed this in a statement on Monday, according to Nairametrics.

However, the company did not identify the source of the disruption or the stakeholders it is engaging to resolve the issue.

Despite the ongoing disruption, TikTok maintained that it had not restricted access to its platform, adding that it was engaging relevant stakeholders to address the situation.

“We are aware of reports regarding restricted access to our platform in certain parts of Nigeria. We can confirm that this restriction was not implemented by TikTok.
“We are actively engaging with relevant stakeholders to resolve the situation and remain committed to ensuring access for our community,” a TikTok spokesperson said in the statement.

Reports of difficulties accessing TikTok in parts of Northern Nigeria emerged around September 14, 2026, as users complained that videos failed to load, feeds would not refresh and uploads stalled when using regular mobile data connections.

A report by Tech Digest published on September 17 documented complaints from users in Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto states. Some affected users said connecting through a VPN restored their access to the platform.

The disruption subsequently attracted the attention of civil society organisations, which called for an investigation into its cause and urged the government, telecommunications regulators and service providers to clarify whether the access difficulties resulted from deliberate restrictions.

On October 2, a coalition of 12 civil society organisations raised concerns over what it described as a prolonged digital blackout affecting access to TikTok in parts of Northern Nigeria.

The coalition called on the Nigerian Communications Commission, the National Information Technology Development Agency, the Office of the National Security Adviser and affected state governments to investigate the disruption and make their findings public.

It also urged telecommunications operators and TikTok to cooperate in identifying the cause of the problem.