#TwitterBan: “Nigeria is already losing out” Erika ‘PR Diva’ Enyolu

Erika ‘PR Diva’ Enyolu has reacted to the recent indefinite suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, by the federal government.

The
Social media application; Twitter found itself on the wrong side of the
Nigerian government when it removed a tweet by its leader, President
Muhammadu Buhari sounding off on the country’s troubled security
situation.

Nigeria’s Minister of information, Lai Mohammed, had
on Friday, 4th of June, 2021 announced the suspension of the bird social
media app, Twitter citing the “persistent use of the platform for activities that undermine the security of the country and its corporate existence”.
Twitter’s suspension has since elicited a wave of reactions from
entertainers, public figures, and prominent personalities in Nigeria and
the diaspora who make use of the social media platform as a business or
creative tool.

Reacting to the development, Erika, said the decision will mostly affect
Nigeria and her citizens especially the youths. With its ban on
Twitter, Nigeria joins China, Iran, and North Korea as countries that currently ban the use of the app for its citizens.

In her words;

‘Nigeria
is already losing out because it could cost the country economically in
terms of new investment into its technology sector. It may also
threaten Nigeria’s status as one of the best-performing African
countries in attracting investment for technology start-up businesses.

According
to NetBlocks, a watchdog organization that monitors cyber-security and
governance of the Internet, each hour of the social media gagging costs
Nigeria about $250,000 (N102.5 million), bringing the daily loss to N2.5

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billion.

The suspension has already created a market access gap
for millions of small and medium scale enterprises (SMSEs) that use the
platform to reach their customers. This could potentially complicate
the challenges COVID-19 and other structural defects had imposed on
businesses.

Erika opined that the ban would even compound the
security problems in the country as the platform is the only means via
which some people get daily updates on current and happening events. She
pleaded with the government to reconsider the ban and rescind its
decision. “This government is out of touch with the plight of young
people,” she added.

Erika Enyolu aka ‘PR Diva’ who is currently
based in Toronto, Canada is originally from Uga in Anambra state. She is
the CEO & Founder of PR Diva Communications, an artiste & event
management, A&R, and PR firm. She is also the Co-Founder of When
Fashion Meets (WFM) an International Fashion Networking & Brand
Launch platform and The Managing Partner/Head of PR & Media
Relations for African Fashion Week Toronto (AFWT).