The TikTok safety report shows millions of live violations and major enforcement actions across West Africa, marking a new phase in the platform’s safety efforts
TikTok has, for the first time, released detailed figures on its enforcement of Live Monetisation rules, revealing the scale of policy breaches recorded across West Africa.
Also read: Kano court orders marriage of popular TikTokers in 60 days
The disclosure came during the TikTok Safety Summit in Dakar, Senegal, where the platform partnered with AfricTivistes to present the TikTok Safety Report for the second quarter of 2025.
According to the data, TikTok sanctioned 2,321,813 Live sessions and 1,040,356 Live creators worldwide for infringing monetisation rules, following a notable rise in users going live during sexual activity.
In Nigeria alone, 49,512 Live sessions were banned within the same period, reflecting the platform’s intensified push to curb harmful conduct and protect vulnerable audiences.
The Summit gathered senior government officials, safety specialists, NGOs, media practitioners and regulatory figures from Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Chad and Ethiopia.
Delegates examined the region’s growing online safety challenges and discussed ways to strengthen content moderation systems tailored to West Africa’s realities.
The platform described the event as a critical point in its regional safety strategy, reinforcing its pledge to uphold global standards while responding to local concerns.
Discussions were held under the #SaferTogether banner, focusing on collaborative approaches capable of building a safer digital ecosystem.
TikTok’s Outreach and Partnerships Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Duduzile Mkhize, said the Summit demonstrated the importance of shared responsibility.
She noted that although TikTok operates globally, its approach to safety remains firmly local, adding that open dialogue with policymakers and civil society helps prevent a fragmented and insecure online environment.
A key contributor, Dr Akinola Olojo, a Nigerian expert on countering violent extremism and member of TikTok’s regional Safety Advisory Council, stressed the need for proactive intervention.
He said collaborative engagement ensures that efforts made alongside TikTok are meaningful and help communities resist radicalisation while using online spaces for positive impact.
Globally, TikTok removed more than 189 million videos during the quarter, representing 0.7 percent of all uploads.
Of these, 163.9 million were detected through AI-powered moderation tools. The company emphasised that 99.1 percent of removals were identified proactively, with 94.4 percent taken down within 24 hours.
It also removed over 76.9 million fake accounts, along with nearly 26 million suspected underage accounts.
In Nigeria, TikTok removed 3,780,426 videos between April and June 2025 for violating Community Guidelines.
An impressive 98.7 percent were deleted before they were viewed, while 91.9 percent were removed within the first 24 hours.
The latest TikTok Safety Report highlights the platform’s continued effort to maintain a secure and trustworthy digital space for users across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
Also read: Indonesia suspends TikTok licence over protest data refusal
Its release marks a significant step in improving transparency and accountability, underscoring the company’s commitment to stronger safeguards across emerging digital communities.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
