Reports from Internet World Statistics reveal that over 93 million Nigerians use the internet, a huge percentage of that number engage daily social media on a daily basis.
Social media has gained so much popularity over the years as more and more Africans have embraced it, especially Nigerians.
Historically, from the days of 2go, MySpace, Friendster, and Nairaland to the more recent Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp craze, Nigerians have always been keen connectors on social networks.
Across all the different social media, Nigerians tops as the most active in Africa.
Let me share with you, some of the reasons Nigerians spend more time on social media than other Africans
High Internet Penetration Rate
One factor that may be primarily responsible for a significant number of Nigerians being active on social media is the country’s high internet penetration rate.
According to the industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission, internet penetration stands at 22 percent.
Arguably, at least one out of two Nigerians make use of the internet on a daily basis. By implication, Nigerians have access to surf the internet and signing up on social media to connect and engage.
Relatively Low Internet Connectivity Cost
Compared to other African countries, the cost of consuming bandwidth is relatively low following the emergence of different players in the industry. These players compete to acquire subscribers, and that has contributed to the price of data in Nigeria.
Telecom operators roll out different plans which the average Nigerian finds affordable, with this access, it has become easy for Nigerians to purchase bandwidth.
Curiosity
Facebook data says 37% of Nigerians depend on social media for daily news. This is apparently as a result of curiosity and the quest for information.
These factors drive a lot of Nigerians to utilize social media more often. Most of the brands, media houses, entertainers, and celebrities share useful, informative, entertaining content.
The number of hours spent on social media by the average Nigerian is astonishing.
Social Engagement and Civil Advocacy
The Nigerian society is a politically active one engaging a lot of Nigerians in different social engagements and citizen advocacy.
Several noteworthy political, as well as civic advocacy movements have been made with the use of social media in recent years. One of such advocacy campaigns is the #BringBackOurGirls campaign in 2015.
The fact remains that the average Nigerian has a voice and wants to be heard and social media has provided the leverage to enable that to happen efficiently.
Social media has empowered individuals and even brands to elicit strong influence and amplify their voices nationwide and even beyond the shores of Africa with little enablers such as retweets and shares.
