A group of Nigerian social enterprises advocating for digital rights and freedom of speech, has revealed how Nigeria lost about $360 million in economic revenue in 100 days as a result of the continued suspension of popular micro-blogging platform, Twitter, in the country. ayokinews.com reports
The group of enterprises (coalition) who made the economic claim includes the likes of Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE), Paradigm Initiative (PIN), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Socio-Economic Rights And Accountability Project (SERAP) among others.
The group made it known that the Nigerian government’s clampdown on technology companies was contradictory to its widespread claim of promoting technology innovations which is detrimental to the economic drive and national development of the country.
Speaking to newsmen in Lagos while marking the 100 days of Twitter ban in Nigeria, the Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, Gbenga Sesan, stated that as far as the rule of law is concerned in a democratic setting, the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria is considered illegal.
Speaking on NetBlocks cost of shutdown tool, Sesan noted that the suspension of Twitter costs Nigeria a whooping sum of $250,600 per hour in the last 2,400 hours of the social platform blockade in the country.
Sesan said, “Suspending twitter in Nigeria is illegal, and we are saying it categorically, as we expect the court to support what we have said because the order to suspend the telecommunications companies was not done with a court warrant.
“Maybe they can now come up with a backdated court warrant, well at that time, the court was on strike, so there was no way they would have obtained it.”
The group further alleged that the Nigerian government had been making up various excuses and reasons for the suspension of the micro-blogging platform.
Adding to it, Sesan said, “Please do not forget that at the beginning they said the reason for the ban was to free the space from the activities of terrorists, and then they claimed it is now safe. My question is if it is now safe why is the suspension still on?”
The various groups which formed the coalition, also alleged that the measure taken by the Nigerian government in suspending Twitter undermines the country’s corporate existence, while making it known that it has also taken some active measures to enable the federal government rescind the suspension of Twitter.
