What Is Special About The Twitter Ban In Nigeria?
Twitter is a social network that promotes communication through short messages known as tweets.
It is a social media application founded in 2006 that has won over the hearts of many in Nigeria. You’ll get to know why shortly.
Though, there is always an initial slack when signed up to the app. I call it the test-run phase. It is a phase where many sign up, abandon the app, and then return stronger. This is because it seems like an open diary at first. You share opinions, thoughts, stories, and the world can access them anytime. That’s quite scary, right?
Well, trust Nigerians to never give up, they explored Twitter and found it to be a tool that could do much more.
Why Twitter Is Much More Beneficial Than You Think
It Provides Real-Time Data
With Twitter, you get to see what is happening in different parts of the world at that exact time. Unlike other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and so on. Twitter is best in measuring what is happening, always and anytime. This is why many rely on it to get the latest on their favorite celebrity, trending news, company updates, and so on.
A Wider Reach Of Audience
With the tweet and retweet features, a lot of accounts are accessed at the same time. Once you post something worthy enough to break the internet, you can be sure Twitter will make it happen. This has been a good advantage for business owners. They have a larger market to sell to, promote their services with fewer expenses and get better results. Organizations and government agencies also use this platform to pass information across to the public.
Resourceful Engagements
It shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see experts in different fields on Twitter. Tech gurus, popular authors, well-known businessmen, life coaches, all on Twitter. On this platform, people get more information from these reputable men and women by engaging their content. You can only imagine the number of lives impacted through this medium. A feature called “Twitter space” also promotes more engagement. Users get to join a particular conversation and discuss with one another from different countries.
A Source Of Livelihood
A lot of recruitment agencies see Twitter as a spot to source for employees. Many individuals have also built careers for themselves through this application. We have social media influencers, online vendors, digital creatives, and so on. People have built communities around the services and products they offer.
A Personal Space
On Twitter, everyone has a voice. You get to share what you think, who you are, your craft, what you do, how you do it, what makes you stand out, and so on. It is a platform that has given every individual the opportunity to show the world what they have to offer.
Global Visibility
Twitter hosts about a hundred million users around the globe. It houses presidents, ministers, corporations, celebrities, agencies, and citizens from different countries. The retweet feature increases audience reach and instigates a viral conversation. In no time, a trend is up and keeps going on and on like that. Most business owners signed up on the platform to have a global reach. Everyone wants global awareness and Twitter provides that.
The Effect Of The Ban
A Poor Message To Foreign Investors
The Government recently banned Cryptocurrency in Nigeria, and now Twitter. This is a bad trend for investors who plan to establish businesses in Nigeria. The Tech industry in the country is rapidly expanding, but news like this poses a big threat to future collaborations. It isn’t speaking well of an economy that needs development.
Reduction In Business Interactions
Business owners use digital media to reach customers, promote services, and communicate with various stakeholders. Sole entrepreneurs who source for customers from the platform are in a fix too. The ban has definitely caused a negative toll on businesses. A watchdog organization known as NetBlock that monitors the governance of the internet, stated recently that Nigeria has lost about 6 billion Naira in the economy since the ban was effected. I am sure you didn’t think Twitter was as enterprising as that.
Frustration amongst Citizens
Nigerians are losing the ability to stand for the truth and hold the government accountable. No one expected a ban until it happened. Many now live in fear, of not knowing what might happen next. Some see it as a vendetta to silence the youths, while others are simply tired of the Government’s priority in a country that has so much more to do. Are we still under a democratic system Government? That is a question without a straightforward answer anymore.
The ban has been effective for seven days now, and no one seems to know how long it will last. We can only hope that things return to normal soon. Nigeria is much more reliant on digital media now than before.
