Northern Nigeria TikTok users face prolonged access difficulties, CSOs say

Stanley Ihedigbo

A coalition of 12 civil society organisations (CSOs) has called on the Federal Government, telecommunications regulators and TikTok to urgently investigate reported disruptions to access to the social media platform in Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi and Sokoto states.

The organisations, working on digital rights, freedom of expression, access to information and civic participation, said the reported difficulties began around September 14, 2026, and had developed into a prolonged disruption affecting users in parts of northern Nigeria.

In a joint preliminary statement, the coalition said affected users had reported difficulties loading TikTok, watching videos and uploading content through regular mobile data connections.

According to the groups, some users reportedly regained access through virtual private networks (VPNs), while the available information had not established whether the disruption resulted from a technical failure, network routing problems, a platform malfunction, traffic management measures or an intentional restriction.

The coalition, therefore, adopted the term “TikTok Disruption” pending further technical evidence, while expressing concern over what it described as the lack of a public explanation for the reported incident.

It warned that unexplained disruptions to digital platforms could affect freedom of expression, access to information, journalism, civic participation and economic activities, particularly for people whose livelihoods depend on social media.

The organisations called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and relevant state government agencies to investigate the reports in collaboration with telecommunications operators, internet service providers and TikTok.

They urged the authorities to establish and publicly disclose the cause of the disruption, including the networks and geographical areas affected, the duration of the incident and any remedial measures taken.

The coalition further called for an end to any intentional restriction of access to TikTok or other internet platforms that lack a clear legal basis or fail to meet applicable human rights standards.

Citing Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, as amended, the groups stressed that freedom of expression includes the right to receive and impart ideas and information, subject to constitutionally permitted limitations.

They also referenced African human rights standards, which require restrictions on freedom of expression to be prescribed by law, serve a legitimate purpose and be necessary in a democratic society.

Demands transparency from the government

The CSOs urged any government institution that may have issued an instruction, directive, request or order affecting access to TikTok to disclose the action publicly, including its legal basis, scope, purpose and duration.

They also called on telecommunications operators to provide timely information to affected consumers about major network disruptions, their likely causes and expected restoration periods.

The coalition asked the NCC to clarify whether the reported TikTok access problems had been recorded as network incidents and, where applicable, require service providers to give consumers appropriate information and remedies.

It further recommended independent technical testing in the affected locations to determine whether the reported problems involved ordinary technical failures or deliberate or inadvertent interference with network access.

Such tests, the organisations said, should examine possible Domain Name System (DNS) interference, internet protocol or Domain blocking, protocol interference, throttling, routing anomalies and application-specific filtering.

They also recommended comparisons across mobile networks, fixed-line connections and affected and unaffected geographical areas.

Warn against broad internet restrictions

The coalition maintained that access to digital platforms is increasingly connected to other fundamental rights, including education, freedom of association, access to information and participation in public affairs.

It urged the government to ensure that national security and public order concerns do not become blanket justifications for restricting access to entire digital platforms.

According to the organisations, where authorities identify genuine security concerns or unlawful online activities, interventions should target the specific conduct or content involved rather than impose broad restrictions on an entire platform.

They added that any intervention should be supported by demonstrable evidence, lawful authority and appropriate procedural safeguards.

The groups also called on government and security agencies to refrain from intimidating, harassing, arresting or penalising users, journalists, researchers and civil society organisations merely for documenting internet disruptions, conducting legitimate network tests or discussing their implications.

They warned against unnecessary restrictions on VPNs, noting that the reported use of such services to regain access to TikTok should not, by itself, be treated as evidence of unlawful conduct.

Call for stakeholders’ engagement

The organisations urged the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the NCC, NITDA, ONSA and other relevant agencies to establish a mechanism for engaging civil society groups, technical experts, academics, affected users and industry representatives when investigating significant disruptions to online platforms.

They linked the proposal to a July 2026 government decision, announced by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, to establish a Joint Technical Coordination Committee involving the NCC, NITDA and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission under the leadership of the minister’s office.

The coalition called for such stakeholder engagement to support coordinated technical investigations and the development of a harmonised national policy and governance framework.

It also urged TikTok to clarify whether it had identified technical problems affecting users in northern Nigeria or made changes to its infrastructure, routing, content-delivery systems or service availability in the country.

The groups said the company should provide timely information about the cause of the disruption and expected restoration if investigations establish that the problem originated from TikTok or its service provided.

Demand a national internet disruption protocol

Beyond the immediate incident, the coalition called for a transparent national protocol governing significant internet disruptions.

It proposed that the framework should require prompt notification of affected services and networks, disclosure of established causes, identification of any government directive or legal order involved, publication of restoration timelines and independent technical verification where appropriate.

The proposed protocol should also provide for post-incident reports and accessible channels through which affected users can submit complaints and seek remedies.

The organisations further called on the NCC and other relevant authorities to publish a comprehensive final investigation report explaining what happened, when and where it occurred, the networks affected, the technical cause, whether any government agency was involved, the legal basis for any directive issued and measures to prevent a recurrence.

Coalition to continue monitoring

The coalition said it would continue monitoring reports from affected users, engaging relevant stakeholders and seeking additional information to establish the nature and source of the reported disruption.

It urged the government, regulators, telecommunications operators and TikTok to prioritise transparency, accountability, independent technical verification and respect for freedom of expression and access to information.

The statement was jointly issued by Accountability Lab Nigeria, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID); Digital Africa Research and Safety Lab (DigiAfricaLab); DigiCivic Initiative; Gatefield; Hope Behind Bars Africa; Media Rights Agenda (MRA); Paradigm Initiative (PIN); RACE Africa; Spaces for Change (S4C); TechHerNG; and TechSocietal.

The coalition emphasised that the cause of the reported TikTok disruption had not been established and called for any measures affecting access to digital platforms to comply with applicable legal and human rights standards.