Reports suggest the problems began around mid-September 2026 and have continued for some users.
What Users Are Experiencing
Affected users have reported:
- Videos taking too long to load
- Feeds freezing while scrolling
- Difficulty refreshing content
- Uploads failing or taking too long
- TikTok working after switching to a VPN
The experience appears to vary depending on location and network connection.
Is TikTok Being Blocked?
There is currently no official confirmation from TikTok, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), telecommunications operators, or the Nigerian government that TikTok has been deliberately blocked in the affected states.
Possible explanations include network-routing problems, technical issues, traffic management or other forms of interference. However, none has been confirmed as the cause.
The fact that some users regain access through a VPN does not, by itself, prove that TikTok is being deliberately blocked.
Why It Matters
TikTok is increasingly used by Nigerian creators, businesses and entrepreneurs to reach customers, promote products and build online audiences.
Continued access problems could therefore affect both ordinary users and people who depend on the platform for their work and business activities.
There was also a separate nationwide 9mobile data outage on September 24 that affected several services, including areas such as Kaduna, Kano and Sokoto, although that incident was later marked resolved and does not explain the TikTok-specific reports that began earlier. NCC
What Should Affected Users Do?
If TikTok is not working properly:
- Check whether other websites and apps are working.
- Switch between mobile data and Wi-Fi.
- Update the TikTok app.
- Restart your device.
- Check whether the problem occurs on another network.
- Be careful when using unfamiliar VPN services, particularly free ones.
For now, the cause of the reported disruption remains unclear. Until an official explanation is provided, claims that TikTok has been deliberately banned or censored in these states should be treated as unconfirmed.
