TikTok has halted access to its LIVE streaming feature for Nigerian users during late-night hours, issuing an in-app message explaining that the move is part of an ongoing platform safety review.
The restriction began at midnight on Sunday, when creators received a system alert 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.”
Checks confirmed by PUNCH Online showed that the LIVE function—active earlier in the evening—was completely disabled between 11 pm and 5 am. During this blackout window, creators were met with a “No Access” prompt, and even LIVE streams hosted outside Nigeria were inaccessible to local viewers.
Only creators who met TikTok’s 1,000-follower threshold for LIVE eligibility received the notification, with many confirming that all late-night broadcasting options were unavailable throughout the restriction period.
Despite the disruption, TikTok left creators’ earnings untouched. Those who depend heavily on nighttime LIVE gifting reported that their financial balances remained unchanged, calming early fears of income loss.
Access was fully restored by Monday morning, sparking intense conversations online as users speculated about the reason for the abrupt nationwide restriction—particularly because the midnight-to-dawn window is the most profitable period for many Nigerian streamers who host watch parties, interactive entertainment, and high-engagement chats.
The temporary shutdown comes shortly after TikTok presented updated safety statistics for West Africa during its regional safety summit held in Dakar, Senegal. The company revealed that in the second quarter of 2025, it took enforcement actions against:
•2,321,813 LIVE sessions, and
•1,040,356 LIVE creators globally
for violating LIVE monetisation and safety rules.
In Nigeria alone, TikTok said it blocked 49,512 LIVE sessions within the same timeframe. The platform also removed 3,780,426 Nigerian videos between April and June 2025 for breaching Community Guidelines—98.7% of which were taken down before any views, and 91.9% within the first 24 hours.
TikTok LIVE differs from regular video uploads by allowing real-time interactions through gifting, comments, Q&A, performances, and casual chats. To go LIVE, creators must have at least 1,000 followers, be aged 16 or older (18 for monetisation), maintain a clean account history, and select the LIVE option through the “+” button.
