02/10/2026
Two weeks. Four northern states. Millions of users. And still no explanation. 📵
Since around September 14, people in Kaduna, Kebbi, Kano and Sokoto have struggled to load, view or upload content on TikTok, and many creators and small businesses depend on the platform for their livelihoods. The disruption isn't tied to one network, and access appears to work only through VPNs. Yet no regulator, operator or platform has publicly said what is going on.
Whether it's a technical fault or a deliberate restriction, Nigerians deserve answers. 12 civil society organisations, including Media Rights Agenda, Paradigm Initiative, CJID, Gatefield and Spaces for Change, have issued a joint statement calling for:
âś… A public investigation and disclosure of the cause
âś… Independent technical testing in the affected areas
âś… Transparency about any government directive
âś… Protection for users and journalists who document the disruption
âś… A national protocol for notifying the public of future internet disruptions
Unexplained silence is not an acceptable response when access to information and freedom of expression are at stake.
đź“– Read the full statement: https://mediarightsagenda.org/joint-statement-on-the-unexplained-tiktok-disruption-in-northern-nigeria-by-civil-society-organisations/
The information available from our preliminary investigations indicates that millions of citizens whose livelihoods depend on the social media platforms have