By John Alechenu
A coalition of 11 civil society organisations has raised the alarm over the unexplained disruption of TikTok services in parts of northern Nigeria, describing over two weeks of institutional silence as worrying.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, the groups said what began as intermittent access difficulties around September 14, 2026, has grown into a multi-week digital blackout affecting Kaduna, Kebbi, Kano and Sokoto.
Signatories to the statement include Accountability Lab Nigeria, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), DigiAfricaLab, DigiCivic Initiative, Gatefield, Hope Behind Bars Africa, Media Rights Agenda, Paradigm Initiative, RACE Centre, Spaces for Change, TechHerNG and TechSocietal.
The coalition said preliminary investigations show that millions of citizens whose livelihoods depend on the platform have experienced difficulties loading TikTok, viewing videos and uploading content through ordinary mobile data connections.
According to the groups, the disruption cuts across network providers and access is only guaranteed for some users through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
The statement read in part, “While we adopt the neutral term ‘TikTok Disruption’ pending further technical evidence, over two weeks of institutional silence is cause for concern.”
The coalition warned that access to digital platforms has become central to communication, journalism, civic participation, business and public discourse in Nigeria.
“Unexplained social media disruptions not only undermine democracy but also truncate the local economy,” it said.
The groups demanded transparency from regulators and operators. They called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and affected state governments to investigate and publish their findings.
The statement further read, “In the event that the problem is the result of an intentional disruption, 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.”
On technical verification, the groups urged the NCC to examine whether there is evidence of Domain Name System (DNS) interference, IP or domain blocking, Server Name Indication (SNI) or protocol interference, throttling, routing anomalies and application-specific filtering.
They cautioned that the reported fact that some users have regained access to TikTok through VPNs should not, by itself, be treated as evidence of unlawful conduct.
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