Nigerians have a love affair with Twitter, so much so that one Nigerian website has defined the country’s 100 most influential tweeters. From politicians to policy makers, musicians to actors here are 10 Nigerians you should be following on Twitter.
A Nigerian actress and U.N. Ambassador for the World Food Program, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is one of Nollywood’s hottest stars, but she’s also a singer with two pop albums under her belt. Despite being a celebrity with 362,000 Twitter followers, Jalade-Ekeinde still lists her personal email, seen in the above photo, on her verified profile!
He’s been called the deepest Nigerian political analyst on Twitter. “Mwalimu,” as he is known, is also respected on social media for his expert opinions on Nigerian politics and contemporary issues.
His full name is Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, but the 24-year-old goes by “Wizkid” and is a serious hit maker. And with more than 1 million followers, his verified profile is also a legit Twitter hit.
With 333,000 followers, Olamide is a rising Twitter star in his home country. Beyond his social media influence, the self-proclaimed “King Baddo” is also a rising fast on the Nigerian rap and pop scene.
Another rising Nigerian rockstar, Burna Boy is the grandson of Benson Idons, who managed Afro-beat legend Fela Kuti, and is famous for his patois-influenced dancehall hits.
His followers love to give him shout outs and hound him for retweets, making the recording artist Oma Baba Olowo another Nigerian Twitter powerhouse.
A politically engaging tweeter, Oby Ezekwesili is known for constructively critiquing the Nigerian government and engaging it in discussion. She has a large, almost cult-like following on Twitter.
The 33-year-old Nigerian singer is on track to become one of Africa’s biggest names this year, attracting global attention for his beats and also for hanging out with the likes of Jay-Z and Kanye West.
The Nigerian-Cameroonian pop singer recently made waves (in a bad way) for pushing a skin-lightening cream, Whitenlicious. On Twitter, however, the “True Love” singer talks about religion.
Nigerians love to tweet, and after a three-year hiatus, their president appears to be getting back into the chirp of things. This is a big deal because before January, President Goodluck Jonathan had been completely mum since May 10, 2011. No one knows why he stopped tweeting, but his account still has more than 66,000 followers. Of course, there is a possibility that this account — which isn’t verified — is bogus. When you search for Goodluck on Twitter, multiple handles come up, including one declaring itself as a parody feed.