TikTok has temporarily suspended its late-night LIVE feature in Nigeria, citing a massive spike in broadcasts featuring explicit sexual acts and other adult content.

Why it matters The restriction highlights the challenge platforms face in moderating content in high-growth markets and the immediate economic impact on creators, both legitimate and illicit.

The Details

The Restriction: The temporary shutdown was announced via an in-app system notification on Monday. It specifically targets the late-night period associated with the surge in adult content. The Reason: TikTok is currently conducting an investigation “to ensure the platform remains safe and our community stays protected.” The company did not disclose how long the suspension will last.

The Trend: According to the platform, Nigerian users had turned late-night TikTok LIVE sessions into a “hotspot for explicit entertainment.”

Hosts reportedly engaged in sexual intercourse or erotic acts openly while thousands watched.

Many hosts performed for virtual gifts, leveraging the app’s gifting system for quick earnings. Enforcement Data: The company revealed that Nigeria is one of the highest-enforcement markets in West Africa. In Q2 2025, TikTok issued warnings or demonetization penalties to over 2.3 million LIVE sessions and more than one million creators globally for violating monetization rules.

During that same period, 49,512 Nigerian LIVE sessions were banned.

What People Are Saying

Pro-Restriction: Some users have welcomed the move, arguing it was necessary to curb exploitation and abuse. One user commented, “I think this is long overdue because Nigerians abuse almost everything… I just feel bad for those who live stream genuinely to make money.”

Against Restriction: Others have complained about the sudden economic impact on legitimate creators who rely on late-night LIVE sessions for income.

Another user lamented in Pidgin, “Why TikTok go ban live at night for Nigeria they don collect atije atimu for our hand oo.” (Translation: “Why would TikTok ban live at night in Nigeria? They have taken food and drink away from us.”)

What’s next

TikTok has implemented similar regional restrictions before. The current measure is temporary, pending a broader review of safety practices within the country.