TikTok said on Monday, October 12, 2026, that it was not behind the restriction that has kept many users in Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi and Sokoto from loading videos on the app for close to a month. In a statement issued through a spokesperson, the company said “we can confirm that this restriction was not implemented by TikTok” and that it is “actively engaging with relevant stakeholders to resolve the situation.”
Complaints from the four northern states began around September 14. Users there describe feeds that won’t refresh, videos that never start and uploads that stall on ordinary mobile data, while TikTok works normally for people in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country. Some users say the app only comes back when they connect through a VPN. By Tuesday afternoon, neither the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) nor any of the mobile networks had publicly explained what is happening, so the disruption has gone four weeks without an official cause.
| States affected | Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi and Sokoto |
|---|---|
| First reports | Around 14 September 2026 |
| Symptoms | Feeds not refreshing, videos not loading, uploads stalling on mobile data |
| TikTok statement | Monday, 12 October 2026 |
| Cause | Not confirmed |
| NCC explanation | Not confirmed |
| Restoration date | Not confirmed |
TikTok’s denial puts the spotlight on networks and regulators
TikTok also said it was “aware of reports regarding restricted access to our platform in certain parts of Nigeria” and that it remains “committed to ensuring access for our community,” but it didn’t name the stakeholders it is talking to, say what caused the problem, or give a date for service to return.
User reports do narrow things down, since the problem is tied to location rather than to one network, other apps keep working on the same data connection, and a VPN, which routes your traffic through a server outside the area, often gets TikTok working again. That pattern fits a technical fault, a routing problem, traffic management or a deliberate restriction somewhere between the user and TikTok’s servers, and no network measurement has been published yet to show which one it is.
Twelve rights groups want the NCC to publish what it finds
On October 2, a coalition of 12 civil society organisations, including Paradigm Initiative, Media Rights Agenda, Spaces for Change and Accountability Lab Nigeria, described the situation as a prolonged digital blackout and asked the NCC, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Office of the National Security Adviser and the affected state governments to investigate with the operators and TikTok. They want the findings published, covering the cause, the networks and locations involved and the remedy.
The groups also asked authorities to disclose any directive that affected TikTok, including its legal basis and how long it would last, and said any deliberate restriction must be lawful, necessary and proportionate. They want mobile operators to announce major disruptions with their scope and expected restoration time, and they asked that VPN use not be treated as evidence of wrongdoing. None of those demands has drawn a public reply from the agencies named.
If TikTok won’t load in Kano or Kaduna, check this before you blame your phone
Since the regional problem only shows up on mobile data, it’s worth confirming that’s what you’re dealing with before you reset settings or reinstall anything. Try TikTok on Wi-Fi, then on a second SIM from a different network if your phone has one, and compare it with YouTube or Instagram on the same connection.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok fails on mobile data but other apps work | Likely the regional disruption, not your phone | Test on Wi-Fi or another network and keep a record of when it fails |
| TikTok fails on every connection, including Wi-Fi | An app, cache or account issue | Update TikTok from Google Play or the App Store, clear the app cache and restart the phone |
| No app loads at all on mobile data | A wider network or data bundle problem | Check your data balance and signal, then contact your network |
| TikTok works only with a VPN | Consistent with the regional restriction | Report it to your network and ask for a complaint reference |
Be careful with free VPN apps, because many of them make money from your browsing data, show aggressive ads and add their own traffic on top of what you use. That extra overhead matters on a capped data plan, and our guide to finding out what’s eating your data on MTN, Airtel or Glo shows how to see which apps are using your data in your phone’s settings. If you rely on one, choose an established provider with a clear privacy policy.
Report the problem to your network’s customer care, note the date, your location and the reference number, and if the operator can’t explain it, take it further using our step-by-step guide on how to complain to the NCC. Complaints logged from the four states give the regulator a documented trail to work from, and that’s the kind of evidence the rights groups want the investigation to rest on.
With TikTok pointing away from itself, the next answer has to come from the NCC or the operators serving Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi and Sokoto. Creators and small businesses in those states who sell through TikTok are now a month into lost reach, and until one of those bodies names a cause and a fix date, testing your connection and keeping a complaint reference is the most useful thing you can do.
