Stakeholders and other digital natives of Twitter have continued to express mixed reactions as they recount both financial and social losses, estimated at about N546.5 billion, following the ban of the microblogging platform by the federal government of Nigeria, seven months ago.

Before lifting the ban, Netblocks Cost of Shutdown Tools, a platform which uses the classic Free Digital App GDP impact technique, revealed that Twitter ban had cost Nigeria’s economy N104.02 million, bringing the daily losses to N2.46 billion ($250,600) every hour then.

Reacting to the lifted ban, which lasted 5, 328 hours in the 222 days, Deolu Ogunbanjo, National President, National Association of Telecomms Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS), in an interview with Nigeria’s foremost brand focused magazine, MARKETING EDGE, lamented the huge financial and economic losses to various business owners.

“It is gain for the government who will be earning taxes from that, but for the individuals and organisations, it has been 222 days of serious financial loss to a lot of subscribers’ businesses. For 222 days now, the economy has lost almost half a trillion, although some are saying about N546.5 billion. We are happy that the government has lifted the ban; however, they must not gag Twitter and its users, as long as there are constructive criticisms against the government because a government that is not criticized is not a good government. But once you have constructive criticisms by individuals and organisations, they should welcome it,” he said.

The subscribers’ national leader noted that the suspension, no doubt, has forced Twitter enthusiasts to explore newer, uncharted online platforms as they opt for other routes of communication for their business survival. This included the use of circumvented processes by installing Virtual Private Network (VPN), a technology that encrypts Internet traffic on unsecured networks to protect users’ online identity and hide their details.

Mr. Ogunbanjo reaffirmed that Twitter remains the gateway and catalyst for marketers to reach their audience. “A lot of businesses that want to survive had to employ other social media platforms, to advance the cost of their businesses which was not actually like Twitter. It has been a huge loss both material and resources. It has been so bad. We thought that on October 1st, the lifting of the ban would have been like an independence gift; unfortunately, that did not happen until midnight of the day it was lifted. So, 13^th in this case, is a good date and number.”

Other stakeholders have also reacted in their various Twitter handles while expressing their views.

Another Twitter user @Ogbenidipo wrote: “The Twitter ban ruined lives and destroyed small businesses. It was needless and unproductive. The government did not achieve anything banning the platform in Nigeria. I honestly hope this never happens again.”

Lekan Otufodurin, MD Media Career Development Network (MCDN) tweeted: “I almost asked some days ago if the government remembered it suspended the operations of Twitter in Nigeria. For all they cared, it would remain suspended for as long as possible. Those who stayed away are welcome back. Some of us never left.”

@DrFunmilayo tweeted: “Government gained nothing, achieved nothing, ruined businesses. Nigeria has lost about one billion dollars because the president felt his ego crushed by Twitter.”

Recall that on June 5, 2021, Nigerians woke up to a Twitter shutdown across all platforms by the federal government through the minister of information and culture,  Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who announced the indefinite suspension of the operations of the  microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria.

Today, it seems there is an existence of mutual understanding between the warring parties as business returns to normal with FG asking Twitter to fulfill some conditions before restoring its services, stressing that these conditions, including legal registration of operations, taxation, and managing prohibited publication in line with Nigerian laws.