A coalition of civil society organisations working on digital rights, freedom of expression and access to information has raised concern over disruptions affecting access to TikTok in parts of northern Nigeria, notably Kaduna, Kebbi, Kano and Sokoto.
In a preliminary statement, the coalition said what began as intermittent access difficulties around September 14, 2026, has grown into a multi-week total digital blackout, and called on relevant public authorities, telecommunications providers and platform operators to urgently address the situation.
According to the coalition, investigations indicate that millions of citizens from the part of the country especially those whose livelihoods depend on the social media platform have experienced difficulties loading TikTok, viewing videos and uploading content through ordinary mobile data connections.
The coalition said the disruption is not attributable to a single internet service provider, as access to the platform is guaranteed only for some users through virtual private networks (VPNs).
It noted that available reports have not established whether the disruption results from a technical failure, a network routing problem, a platform-side malfunction, a traffic management measure, or an intentional restriction, adding that no public explanation has established the cause as of the latest reports reviewed.
While adopting the neutral term “TikTok Disruption” pending further technical evidence, the coalition said over two weeks of institutional silence is cause for concern.
“Access to digital platforms and online information has become an important part of communication, journalism, civic participation, business, and public discourse in Nigeria as in other parts of the world. Unexplained social media disruptions not only undermine democracy but also truncate the local economy,” the coalition said.
The group called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and relevant agencies of affected state governments to urgently investigate the reported disruption in cooperation with affected mobile network operators, internet service providers and TikTok, and to publish their findings.
It demanded that, should the disruption be found to be intentional, “the Government and all regulatory and security agencies should immediately put an end to or refrain from directing or facilitating the blocking, throttling or disruption of access to TikTok or any other Internet platform except where such action is clearly authorised by law and satisfies applicable human-rights requirements of legality, legitimate purpose, necessity and proportionality”.
The coalition cited Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which protects freedom of expression, including the right to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, subject to constitutionally permitted limitations.
It also referenced the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which recognises freedom of expression and access to information as fundamental rights requiring that restrictions be provided by law, serve a legitimate interest and be necessary in a democratic society.
The group said that if any government institution has issued an instruction, directive, request or order affecting TikTok access, the relevant authority should publicly disclose its existence, legal basis, scope, duration and purpose.
It further called on “telecommunications operators to clearly inform affected consumers about the nature and extent of any major network disruption and the expected restoration period, and urged the NCC to clarify whether the TikTok disruptions have been logged as network incidents”.
The coalition demanded independent technical measurements in the affected locations, including through qualified researchers and civil society organisations, to distinguish an ordinary technical outage from deliberate or inadvertent network-level interference.
It said such testing should examine Domain Name System interference, IP or domain blocking, Server Name Indication or protocol interference, throttling, routing anomalies, application-specific filtering, and differences between networks and geographical areas.
The group also urged the government to recognise that access to digital platforms is increasingly connected to the exercise of other rights, including freedom of expression, access to information, association, education and participation in public affairs, citing the position of the UN Special Rapporteur that meaningful internet access is important to the enjoyment of multiple human rights.
It further called for any national-security response to be directed at specific unlawful conduct or content rather than a broad restriction on access to an entire platform, and for such intervention to be based on demonstrable evidence, lawful authority and appropriate procedural safeguards.
The coalition urged the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, NCC, NITDA, ONSA and other relevant agencies to establish a mechanism for engaging civil society, technical experts, digital rights organisations, academia and industry representatives when investigating significant disruptions to online platforms.
It noted that this would be consistent with the Federal Government’s July 2026 decision, announced by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, to establish a Joint Technical Coordination Committee comprising the NCC, NITDA and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission under the leadership of the minister’s office.
The group also demanded protection for users, journalists, researchers and CSOs documenting and reporting internet disruptions through lawful means, warning against intimidation, harassment or arrest of individuals merely for reporting access difficulties or conducting legitimate network measurements.
It said the fact that some users have regained access to TikTok through VPNs should not, by itself, be treated as evidence of unlawful conduct, and that any attempt to restrict VPNs should be subject to the same requirements of legality, necessity and proportionality.
The coalition called on TikTok to publicly clarify whether it has identified any technical problems affecting users in northern Nigeria, and to provide affected users with timely information where the problem originated from the company or its service providers.
It further urged the government and regulators to develop and publish a national internet disruption transparency protocol requiring prompt notification of significant disruptions, disclosure of causes and any government directives involved, publication of restoration timelines, and accessible mechanisms for users to submit complaints and seek remedies.
Following the investigation, the coalition said the NCC and other relevant authorities should publish a comprehensive report stating what happened, which networks were affected, the technical cause, whether any government agency was involved, whether any legal directive was issued, and what measures will prevent recurrence.
“The reported disruption to TikTok access in parts of northern Nigeria warrants prompt, transparent and independent investigation,” the coalition said, urging the government and regulators to prioritise transparency, accountability, technical verification and respect for freedom of expression and access to information.
The coalition said it would continue to monitor reports from affected users, engage relevant stakeholders, and assess the need for further action as additional evidence becomes available.
The statement was issued by Accountability Lab Nigeria, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, Digital Africa Research and Safety Lab, DigiCivic Initiative, Gatefield, Hope Behind Bars Africa, Media Rights Agenda, Paradigm Initiative, RACE Africa, Spaces for Change, TechHerNG and TechSocietal.