Nigerian foundation sues TikTok over alleged access limits in four northern states

A Nigerian digital-rights organisation has taken TikTok to court over alleged restrictions affecting users in four northern states, opening a legal dispute over whether a private technology platform can limit regional access without explanation.

The Foundation for Digital Justice and Sustainable Development filed a fundamental-rights action at the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 5. It is asking the court to determine whether the reported disruption in Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi and Sokoto states violates users’ rights to freedom of expression and freedom from discrimination.

Users report widespread access problems

According to the case, access problems began around September 11, 2026. By September 14, TikTok was reportedly heavily restricted or completely inaccessible in the four states.

The lawsuit alleges that videos freeze or fail to load when users connect through ordinary mobile data. It also says uploads stall and other platform functions do not work. The foundation says affected users can regain access through virtual private networks.

However, the cause of the disruption has not been established. Network, routing or infrastructure problems remain possible explanations, and reports that VPNs restore connectivity do not by themselves prove that TikTok deliberately blocked users.

The foundation says its investigation and interviews with users indicate a regional restriction rather than an isolated technical fault. That position has not been tested by the court.

Rights claims and requested remedies

The organisation is asking the court to declare the alleged geoblocking wrongful, unconstitutional and arbitrary. It argues that activities including posting, viewing, replying, liking and reposting constitute expressive conduct, and that affected users are being denied access to those forms of communication.

It also argues that selective restrictions could amount to unequal treatment based on place of origin, ethnicity, religion or another constitutionally protected ground. The suit invokes Sections 39, 42, 45 and 46 of Nigeria’s Constitution, as well as Articles 2 and 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Festus Ogun, counsel for the foundation, said the case was not about ordinary content moderation.

“This has nothing to do with content moderation,” he said. “Content moderation relates more to the ability to post or make comments and not the ability to access or use the application entirely.”

“TikTok owes its users the duty to offer an explanation concerning the restriction and the discrimination,” Ogun told TechCabal. “We maintain that the continuous exclusion and restriction is a violation of digital rights.”

The foundation is also seeking an order requiring TikTok to publish a public apology in three newspapers with nationwide circulation within seven days of judgment.

TikTok has not explained the disruption

TikTok did not respond to requests for comment and has not publicly explained the reported access problems.

The company’s Terms of Service reserve the right to suspend or restrict all or part of the platform for business and operational reasons without prior notice. The provision does not set out criteria for restricting an entire region, and there is no established finding that TikTok used that power in northern Nigeria.

TikTok’s enforcement policies describe measures such as content removals, temporary feature restrictions and account bans for repeated or serious violations, along with notification and appeal procedures. The foundation maintains that a region-wide access problem is different from action against specific posts or accounts.

The reported disruption could also affect creators and small businesses that depend on TikTok to reach audiences or customers, although the financial impact has not been quantified.

The court has yet to determine whether a TikTok restriction occurred, whether the platform was responsible, or whether any restriction breached users’ legal rights.