Microblogging social media application, Twitter, is officially banned in Nigeria. This follows an announcement on Friday by the Federal Government that it was suspending the popular platform. Checks by Nairametrics reveals Twitter remained inaccessible as of midnight June 5th 2021, confirming that it has been banned.

This means Nigerians looking to visit Twitter online via their browser or through the app can no longer access it. Nairametrics understands access to Twitter via mobile phones was largely impossible but users still accessed it on WiFi-enabled devices. The Federal Government announced it was indefinitely suspending the operations of Twitter in Nigeria.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, via a statement issued by the Ministry’s spokesperson, Segun Adeyemi on Friday. The Minister cited the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.

“The Federal Government has also directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria,” the statement read.

The government’s row with Twitter started after Twitter deleted a post by Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.

The President had condemned the attacks on police stations, prisons and offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, especially in the South-East, warning that those supporting insurrection and violence in the country would be shocked. Buhari had tweeted:

“Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.”

Twitter flagged the tweet for violating its rules, deleting it.

However, the government pushed back complaining and accusing Twitter of double standards suggesting that it did not delete tweets from “insurrectionists” and those it claims were looking to divide the country.

Twitter is currently banned in countries like Iran, China, Turkey and was recently accused by the Indian Government of not complying with its rules.


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Official: Twitter is banned in Nigeria, browser and app stops connecting
Nairametrics by Nairametrics June 5, 2021Reading Time: 3 mins read

Microblogging social media application, Twitter, is officially banned in Nigeria. This follows an announcement on Friday by the Federal Government that it was suspending the popular platform. Checks by Nairametrics reveals Twitter remained inaccessible as of midnight June 5th 2021, confirming that it has been banned.

This means Nigerians looking to visit Twitter online via their browser or through the app can no longer access it. Nairametrics understands access to Twitter via mobile phones was largely impossible but users still accessed it on WiFi-enabled devices. The Federal Government announced it was indefinitely suspending the operations of Twitter in Nigeria.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, via a statement issued by the Ministry’s spokesperson, Segun Adeyemi on Friday. The Minister cited the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.

“The Federal Government has also directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria,” the statement read.

The government’s row with Twitter started after Twitter deleted a post by Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.

The President had condemned the attacks on police stations, prisons and offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, especially in the South-East, warning that those supporting insurrection and violence in the country would be shocked. Buhari had tweeted:

“Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.”

Twitter flagged the tweet for violating its rules, deleting it.

However, the government pushed back complaining and accusing Twitter of double standards suggesting that it did not delete tweets from “insurrectionists” and those it claims were looking to divide the country.

Twitter is currently banned in countries like Iran, China, Turkey and was recently accused by the Indian Government of not complying with its rules.


Nigerians have reacted to the news of the ban accusing the government of impinging with its human rights and freedom of expression. The President of the Nigerian Bar association, Olumide Apata tweeted just before the ban became effective.

“The @NigBarAssoc has noted with great concern the extraordinary decision of the Federal Govt to suspend the operations of @Twitter in Nigeria and, by necessary implication, the right of Nigerians to freely express their constitutionally guaranteed opinions through that medium.”

While the app remains banned, Nigerians have shared useful tips for connecting to Twitter using a Virtual Private Network, VPN. VPNs are tools used to bypass IP addresses required for countries or locations to allow websites to be accessible in a country.

https://nairametrics.com/2021/06/05/official-twitter-is-banned-in-nigeria-browser-and-app-stops-connecting/

It doesn’t work on my phone.

By the time buhari is done with Nigeria in 2023. We’d be communicating with sticks and stones.

This would be the way we’d be living after pol pot buhari would have turned Nigeria into the cave men era

Mtcheewww

What... interestingly, the clowns who are leading us do not have any issues with this. To know the Vice President is a professor of law makes me feel so ashamed of my country.

Yes ooo

Seun pls move this to front page. This good business for you.

That’s true oo....

I hope Nigerians are now seeing it? This was actually their plan for introducing NIN policy

NIN policy isn’t for crime purpose, it’s for the purpose of tracking internet users who criticize the government.

Good for nothing useless Nigeria government.

Nairaland could be the next in line.

But they can't track bandits.

My Twitter is working

It's not going. Switching to VPN. No stopping us

Government is reason why banditry and kidnapping cannot be stopped.
Lack of interest!!

Don't pay for any VPN.

Download Puffin browser and beat their fucjing ban at no cost.

You're maaaad

blizard44:
Don't pay for any VPN.

Download Puffin browser and beat their fucjing ban at no cost.

Have you tried it?

damosky12:


Have you tried it?

I currently use it.

Yawa

blizard44:


I currently use it.

It's working. Thanks...