TikTok recently held its inaugural Digital Well-being Summit in Johannesburg, convening policymakers, mental health professionals, NGOs, and industry leaders from across Sub-Saharan Africa. Delegates from countries including South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe came together to reinforce efforts aimed at safeguarding and promoting community well-being on the platform.
The summit served as a forum for open dialogue focused on improving online safety tools, advancing digital literacy, expanding access to expert support, and fostering a more balanced and healthy digital environment.
TikTok’s global $2.3 million mental health fund to Sub-Saharan Africa,was introduced, also the expanded local in-app helplines, and an industry-first meditation feature for all TikTok users.
The event also spotlighted ongoing efforts such as TikTok’s #MentalHealthMatters campaign, which continues to promote positive mental health practices across the globe. Together, these actions are designed to support balanced digital habits, providing communities with access to reliable information.
“We commend the private sector’s efforts to foster digital literacy and create a safer online environment for all. Such efforts reflect the government and the private sector’s collective responsibility to inspire creativity, empower communities, and connect young people to the digital world,” added Hon. Minister Siviwe Gwarube, Minister of Basic Education, South Africa.
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As part of its commitment to empowering users to manage their online experience, TikTok has introduced a guided meditation experience in Sleep Hours – an in-app well-being experience automatically enabled at 22:00 for all users under the age of 18. Anyone above this age can choose to turn it on. This feature, the first of its kind in the industry, was piloted in March 2025 and is available worldwide.
Research shows that mindful meditation can improve sleep quality, helping young users wind down and build healthier night-time routines. The introduction of this tool reinforces TikTok’s mission to support digital well-being by fostering better sleep hygiene and emotional regulation, particularly for teens and adolescents navigating the pressures of a hyper-connected world.
Valiant Richey, TikTok Global Head of Trust and Safety Outreach and Partnerships. said “People come to TikTok to learn, share their experiences, and connect with communities around the world. That’s why we’re proud to introduce tools that not only support digital wellbeing, but also empower our community, especially young users, with a safe, supportive space to explore and navigate complex emotions”.
At the summit, TikTok also announced the expansion of its $2.3 million global Mental Health Education Fund to include organisations from Sub-Saharan Africa for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the platform’s commitment to supporting mental health education across the continent.
With this expansion, three Sub-Saharan African organisations have been selected as inaugural regional recipients, including the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative, and Kenya’s Mental360. These organisations will receive funding and platform support to develop locally relevant, evidence-based content that raises awareness, reduces stigma, and encourages open dialogue around mental health in African communities.
TikTok created the mental health education fund in 2023 to support organisations in creating authoritative, engaging and uplifting mental health content. Globally, the Fund has so far helped organisations gain more than 173 million impressions on their content, more than 600,000 new followers for their accounts, prompted more than 200,000 web visits, and helped recruit 486 new volunteers, thanks to a combined $7.3 million in ad credit donations.
Expansion of in-app mental health helplines across Africa
Building on a successful pilot in France and subsequent rollout across European countries, TikTok is expanding in-app helpline resources across Africa. In the coming weeks, users of some countries in Africa will have access to local helplines in-app that provide expert support when reporting content related to suicide, self-harm, hate, and harassment. This feature builds on existing capabilities that direct users to mental health resources when they report bullying and harassment, further strengthening access to timely and relevant support on the platform.
These partners can offer assistance, including counselling, advice, free psychological support, and other essential services to those in need. While TikTok reviews reported content and removes violations of Community Guidelines, users can connect with these partner organisations to receive personal support, should they need it.
