TikTok has placed a temporary overnight limitation on its LIVE feature for users in Nigeria, notifying creators through an in-app alert that the move is part of an ongoing safety investigation.
At midnight on Sunday (Nigerian time), the platform issued a system message that read, “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.”
A file copy of the notice obtained by users in Nigeria confirmed the alert.
Checks by PUNCH Online revealed that LIVE streams, which were functioning earlier in the evening, became unavailable from 11pm to 5am, with affected profiles showing a “No Access” tag.
The restriction also blocked creators from viewing LIVE broadcasts originating from outside the country.
Only creators with at least 1,000 followers — the threshold required to host a LIVE session — received the notification, and many confirmed that all LIVE activities were suspended overnight.
Despite the interruption, creators who depend on LIVE gifting for income found their balances and previous earnings unaffected, reducing initial fears of financial loss.
By Monday morning, LIVE functionality had resumed, prompting widespread discussion online as Nigerians questioned the reason behind the sudden nationwide limitation.
Night-time periods are usually some of the busiest for Nigerian creators who run gaming streams, entertainment shows, viral challenges, and other interactive LIVE content that draws engagement and virtual gifts.
This development follows TikTok’s recent release of updated safety statistics for West Africa.
During its West Africa Safety Summit in Dakar, Senegal, the company reported that in Q2 2025, it took enforcement actions against 2,321,813 LIVE sessions and 1,040,356 LIVE creators worldwide for violating its LIVE Monetisation policies.
In Nigeria alone, 49,512 LIVE sessions were removed in the same quarter.
Additionally, TikTok disclosed that it took down 3,780,426 videos in Nigeria between April and June 2025 for Community Guidelines violations, noting that 98.7% were removed before gaining any views, while 91.9% were deleted within 24 hours.
TikTok Live functions as an in-app tool that allows real-time broadcasting, enabling creators to connect with their audience through comments and virtual gifts, offering interactive formats such as Q&A sessions, talent displays, or simple conversations.
To start a LIVE session, users typically need 1,000+ followers, must be at least 16 years old (18 to earn revenue), maintain a clean account history, and use the ‘+’ icon to select ‘LIVE’, then set up a title and effects before going live.