Twitter Ban: Nigeria Loses N24.72bn In 10 Days

Nigeria has lost N24.72bn ($60.14m) in 10 days to the Twitter
ban that took effect on June 5.

According to NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool, Nigeria loses
N102.9m ($250,600) every hour to the ban.

The Federal Government had on June 4, 2021 announced the
suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had cited
‘the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable
of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence’ as the reason for the
suspension.

According to a report by Statista, Nigeria has about 33 million
active social media users, with about 26 per cent on Twitter.

When asked what the ban meant to businesses in the nation, the
Director General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of
Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, Ayoola Olukanni, said,
“Communication is a significant part of sales and marketing in this
digital age. Consequently, the Twitter ban will likely impact
negatively and disrupt businesses especially Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises who rely on social media, such as Facebook,
Instagram including Twitter to conduct business.

“It will therefore most likely negatively impact the IT sector
of the economy which is already facing several other
challenges.

“While it may be considered that there are alternative social
media platforms, the abrupt nature of the suspension would mean a
loss of existing contacts and a cost of migration.

“We must of course also not and cannot, discountenance the
national security dimension of the misuse of social media and
micro-blogging platforms to inspire violence outside its use to
conduct Business.”

Twitter had reached out to the government that it was ready to
meet for an open discussion to address mutual concerns and see the
service restored. The company revealed this in a tweet.

The company had said, “Today marks one week since Twitter was
blocked in Nigeria. We have informed the Nigerian government that
we are ready to meet for an open discussion to address mutual
concerns and see the service restored.

“We remain advocates for the free and Open Internet
everywhere.”

Mercy Omohoro, a Twitter user who also sells on the app, said,
“Honestly, it has always been twitter. I started from twitter. I
only started spreading to Instagram a few months back and I’ve not
been able to get used to the platform that well.

“I sell wigs and press on nails. I was about to launch a new
product when the ban happened. My head exploded.”

Nigeria has lost N24.72bn ($60.14m) in 10 days to the Twitter
ban that took effect on June 5.

According to NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool, Nigeria loses
N102.9m ($250,600) every hour to the ban.

The Federal Government had on June 4, 2021 announced the
suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had cited
‘the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable
of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence’ as the reason for the
suspension.

According to a report by Statista, Nigeria has about 33 million
active social media users, with about 26 per cent on Twitter.

When asked what the ban meant to businesses in the nation, the
Director General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of
Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, Ayoola Olukanni, said,
“Communication is a significant part of sales and marketing in this
digital age. Consequently, the Twitter ban will likely impact
negatively and disrupt businesses especially Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises who rely on social media, such as Facebook,
Instagram including Twitter to conduct business.

“It will therefore most likely negatively impact the IT sector
of the economy which is already facing several other
challenges.

“While it may be considered that there are alternative social
media platforms, the abrupt nature of the suspension would mean a
loss of existing contacts and a cost of migration.

“We must of course also not and cannot, discountenance the
national security dimension of the misuse of social media and
micro-blogging platforms to inspire violence outside its use to
conduct Business.”

Twitter had reached out to the government that it was ready to
meet for an open discussion to address mutual concerns and see the
service restored. The company revealed this in a tweet.

The company had said, “Today marks one week since Twitter was
blocked in Nigeria. We have informed the Nigerian government that
we are ready to meet for an open discussion to address mutual
concerns and see the service restored.

“We remain advocates for the free and Open Internet
everywhere.”

Mercy Omohoro, a Twitter user who also sells on the app, said,
“Honestly, it has always been twitter. I started from twitter. I
only started spreading to Instagram a few months back and I’ve not
been able to get used to the platform that well.

“I sell wigs and press on nails. I was about to launch a new
product when the ban happened. My head exploded.”