TikTok has temporarily blocked late-night LIVE access for Nigerian creators as part of an ongoing safety investigation. An in-app notice went out to eligible users, explaining that LIVE late at night is being limited in Nigeria to help keep the platform safe and protect the community.
Reports from PUNCH Online show that LIVE sessions which were active earlier in the evening became inaccessible between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM, with affected accounts showing a “No Access” label. The restriction also blocked creators from watching LIVE broadcasts from other countries. Only creators with at least 1,000 followers — the usual minimum to host a LIVE session — received the notification. Several users confirmed that all LIVE activity had paused overnight.
Despite the halt, balances and past earnings from LIVE gifting remain intact for creators, addressing immediate financial concerns.
By Monday morning, LIVE access had resumed, prompting widespread discussion across social platforms about the reasons behind the sudden nationwide restriction and what it might signal for the Nigerian TikTok community.
Related context shows that night-time hours are a peak period for Nigerian streamers who host sports matches, entertainment segments, trends, and other interactive formats that draw audiences and gifts.
The move follows TikTok’s recent disclosure of West Africa safety metrics. At the West Africa Safety Summit in Dakar, the company reported actions in Q2 2025 against 2,321,813 LIVE sessions and 1,040,356 LIVE creators globally for violations of LIVE Monetisation guidelines. In Nigeria specifically, 49,512 LIVE sessions were banned in that period. TikTok also reported removing 3,780,426 videos in Nigeria from April to June 2025 for Community Guidelines breaches, with 98.7% removed before any view and 91.9% removed within 24 hours.
TikTok Live is an in-app feature that enables real-time broadcasting, enabling direct viewer interaction through comments and virtual gifts, as opposed to pre-recorded videos. This format supports Q&As, talent showcases, or casual chats.
To go live, users typically need 1,000+ followers (though exceptions exist), be at least 16 (18 to monetize), maintain a clean account, and tap the ‘+’ button to choose ‘LIVE,’ then add a title and effects before starting.
