By Chinenye Anuforo
Nigeria lost a whopping N630.57 billion in seven months of ban on Twitter operations in the country just as US, UK, EU welcome its return to Nigeria.
This is according to statistics disclosed by Netblocks.org.
The microblogging platform has welcomed Nigeria’s decision to lift the restrictions placed on its operations in the country.
“We are pleased that Twitter has been restored for everyone in Nigeria. Our mission in Nigeria and around the world is to serve the public conversation.
“We are deeply committed to Nigeria, where Twitter is used by people for commerce, cultural engagement, and civic participation”, Twitter’s Public Policy team said in a tweet on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have expressed delight over the lifting of the suspension on Twitter’s operations in Nigeria by the Federal Government.
In the same vein, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed gladness over the lifting of the Twitter ban by the Federal Government.
Atiku, in a tweet, said the effects of the Twitter ban on small businesses in Nigeria was evident for all to see.
The platform said it relied on booking institution method which uses development indicators, approximated digital economy extent of 0.05 and classic free app GDP impact technique to arrive at its conclusion. Being an artificial intelligence, AI-based study.
According to the NetBlocks Cost of Shutdown Tool, Nigeria lost N104.02 million ($250,600) every hour to the ban, bringing the daily losses to N2.46 billion.
Netblocks is popular and its statistics are reliable.
Recall that, the Federal Government announced the suspension of Twitter operations on June 4, 2021, after the social media giant deleted a post by President Buhari for “violation of the company’s abusive behaviour policy.”
By June 5, 2021, the suspension was effected by telecommunications companies as Nigerians woke up to a Twitter shutdown across all platforms.
But, the Federal Government on Wednesday finally lifted the ban on Twitter operations in Nigeria.
While some Nigerians reacted positively to the lifting of the ban on Twitter by the government others were of the view that the ban was unnecessary ab initio.