- MTN launches TikTok Open Time, offering South African users one hour of free access every Sunday
- The initiative encourages customers to rely on a single MTN SIM for enhanced value and convenience
- TikTok’s popularity in South Africa surges, demonstrating a growing demand for digital content among users
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
MTN has introduced a new weekly reward that gives eligible customers one hour of free TikTok access every Sunday, allowing users to scroll, create and share content without using their regular data.
The new offer, known as TikTok Open Time, is the first service launched under MTN’s new Open Time rewards platform.
Credit: wagnerokasaki
Source: Getty Images
However, the promotion currently applies to customers in South Africa, meaning MTN subscribers in Nigeria are not included.
How MTN’s TikTok Open Time works
MTN said customers can access the free TikTok connectivity through the MTN App, where the reward is available under the MyGifts section.
Once claimed, the benefit provides customers with one hour of dedicated TikTok access every Sunday.
The reward is designed to give users more freedom to engage with the platform without worrying about their normal mobile data allocation during the specified period.
According to MTN, the initiative is aimed at making its services more rewarding and convenient for customers who regularly use social media.
The telecom operator said users can spend their free hour catching up on trending videos, supporting creators, sharing content with friends or producing their own TikTok posts.
MTN pushes ‘One SIM’ strategy
The launch forms part of MTN’s broader effort to encourage customers to get more value from a single MTN SIM rather than switching between networks to access different promotions.
MTN said TikTok Open Time builds on the momentum of its MTN Yiyo campaign, which promotes the idea that customers can rely on MTN as the only SIM they need.
The operator described the TikTok reward as another incentive for customers to download and regularly use the MTN App.
“Whether they’re catching up on trending videos, supporting local creators, sharing content with friends, or creating their own posts, customers can enjoy a dedicated hour to do what they love most on TikTok,” the company said.
Why TikTok is important to MTN
Muyiwa Lapido, Chief Consumer Officer for Prepaid at MTN South Africa, said the initiative reflects the growing appetite for digital content among South African consumers.
He said customers are increasingly creating and consuming content online, making it important for MTN to provide digital experiences that are relevant and rewarding.
According to Lapido, TikTok Open Time gives customers access to exclusive digital benefits every week, which can be claimed directly through the MTN App.
TikTok’s growing South African audience
TikTok has experienced significant growth in South Africa in recent years, becoming one of the country’s most widely used social platforms, according to a report by MyBroadband.
By late May 2025, the short-form video platform reportedly had more than 17 million active users in South Africa, compared with about four million in early 2023.
TikTok also recorded one of the highest levels of access among smartphone users in the country, reaching about 30% and ranking behind Facebook among major social media platforms.
Credit: MTN
Source: UGC
For MTN, the new weekly reward provides an opportunity to connect its growing customer base with one of the world’s most popular short-video platforms while encouraging greater engagement with its mobile app.
For now, however, Nigerian MTN customers will have to wait for any similar TikTok Open Time offer to be introduced in the Nigerian market.
Source: Legit.ng