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Twitter ban: Experts warn FG over worsening economic woe
By Modupe Shodeinde
The Nigerian Economic Summit Group and economic experts said the Federal Government’s ban on a social media network, Twitter, would compound Nigerians’ economic woes.
The NESG, in an interview with The PUNCH, said people and the small and medium entrepreneurs in particular, would suffer.
The Chief Executive Officer, NESG, Mr. ‘Laoye Jaiyeola, said the ban would have a significant impact on the economy.
He said, “The impact of Twitter ban on Nigerian economy is not good. Generally, some of us will want to believe that the President must have been ill-advised on the ban.
The digital space is one area that we have every potential to grow as a national, given the fact that a number of our people that do not have work at least are able to carry out some legitimate work on the social media.
“It is important that in time like this, we are careful how we add to people’s problems. In a way, it will discourage those who are supposed to come and invest in Nigeria. The small and medium enterprises suffer, and the people suffer.”
Jaiyeola who said the NESG had done a study on the impacts of the digital economy on the country, added that “It (digital economy) is not just an enabler to the economy but a sector that we must mine to grow. If well harnessed, it could take people out of poverty and create more jobs.
“Let us not mess up an area where we do not even have control. This is an area where we want people to come and develop. This action is not in the interest of Nigerians.”
Also, President of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, Mr Femi Egbesola, lamented the adverse effect the ban would have on small and medium-scale enterprises.
According to him, the social media, of which Twitter is a leading platform, provides a cheaper option of advertising.
Egbesola said, “SMEs would no longer be able to advertise their products and services on Twitter. This ban would disrupt the tens of thousands of small businesses that create more than 70 per cent of the nation’s employment.
“Twitter might have been at fault for censoring the President’s tweet, but the government should consider the positive side. The ban would affect employers and may lead to the loss of jobs which would worsen the unemployment woes of the country. We appeal to the government to reconsider the ban.”
