WhatsApp down: Thousands of users claim to be unable to utilise messaging apps.

Thousands of people in Nigeria report being unable to send or receive messages as a result of a WhatsApp outage.

By 8.30am, more than 12,000 reports of issues had been submitted, according to the outage tracking service Downdetector.

However, given the manner in which the website gathers data, the number of users having problems may actually be far greater.

Many people have used social media sites like Twitter to voice their complaints about the app’s malfunction.

Users have discovered that although they can launch the app and browse their discussions, no new messages are being delivered or sent correctly.

Many users notice a constant message at the program’s top that claims the app is “connecting” to the server but then seems to fail to do so.

A representative for the platform’s parent company, Meta, said: “We’re aware that some users are now having problems sending messages, and we’re working to restore WhatsApp for everyone as quickly as possible.”

With an estimated two billion active users worldwide, WhatsApp is among the most widely used messaging services in the UK and elsewhere.