CSOs demand probe of TikTok blackout in Northern Nigeria
Coalition raised alarms over a "multi-week digital blackout" that began as intermittent access difficulties around 14 September. The post CSOs demand probe of TikTok blackout in Northern Nigeria appeared first on…
TikTok has become one of the most widely used social media platforms in northern Nigeria, serving as a key space for entertainment, small business promotion, religious content and political commentary. Any disruption to such platforms raises concerns given Nigeria's history of social media restrictions, including the extended Twitter suspension in 2021, which rights groups argued stifled free expression and economic activity for users who rely on these platforms for income.
The coalition of civil society organisations is pressing for an official probe into reports that TikTok access has been degraded or unavailable in parts of the region for several weeks, with difficulties reportedly beginning in mid-September. Neither telecom regulators, government agencies nor TikTok itself have publicly explained the cause of the disruption, and it remains unclear whether the blackout is a technical fault, a deliberate restriction, or linked to regional security operations. Both Vanguard and Premium Times report the CSOs' demand for transparency, though neither account cites an official response yet from authorities or the platform.