On Friday June 5, 2021, through the Ministry of Information and Culture, the Nigerian government announced its decision to suspend the operations of social media platform Twitter in the country indefinitely.
The statement, made by Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and signed off by his media aide Segun Adeyemi, could tell telecom’s in the country prevent Nigerians from using Twitter.
The Ministry said “The Federal Government has suspended indefinitely the operations of the micro-blogging and social networking service Twitter in Nigeria. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, citing the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”
What effect does this ban have on businesses?
- Reduced Access to New Markets: For many Nigerian businesses twitter was a platform to promote their businesses, to gain new customer businesses, some even ran their businesses solely on the twitter application. This ban would affect their sales and overall ease of business.
- Information Spread Reduction: Twitter is a platform where the majority of businesses make announcements of collaborations, partnerships and investments.
- Ease Of Doing Business: It further draws back the country’s ease of business due to the external, environmental and political factors. These increase investor uncertainty, which would affect businesses receiving funding and foreign partnerships.
- Networking Limitations: The twitter for business helped small business owners reach their specific target market and get it contact with potential collaborators.
- Customer Listening & Feedback: In relation to establishing a brand voice and tone, twitter is the application in which business can listen to what their target market needs, it has always been a good application to relate with clients.
- Customer Service Platform: Majority of big banks and telecommunication companies use twitter for customer service reasons. This ban will affect such swift information and feedback.
- Reduced ROI for Influencer Marketing: A large number of companies who had invested into the Nigerian Influencing Industry have lost a large amount of money and will have reduced ROI (Return on Investment).
As a business consulting firm, we understand the impact social media has on businesses who are looking to reach new markets on a local as well as a global scale and are constantly seeking ways to improve business for our clients.
