Broadcasting
5 Ways Brands are Winning on Twitter
By Brian Abel, Twitter Team Lead Greater Africa, Ad Dynamo by Aleph
Over the past decade, social media has become one of the single most momentous technological developments the world has seen. This ever evolving phenomenon continues to change, not only how we communicate with one another, but also how businesses communicate with consumers.
This is particularly true for Africa, with the exponential growth of mobile phone and internet penetration across the continent in recent years. According to the GSMA report on the mobile economy, 495 million people (46% of the population) subscribed to mobile services in Sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2020, an increase of nearly 20 million from 2019.
The report also projects that 4G adoption in the region will double to 28% by 2025. Furthermore, it is evident that social media users across the continent are also becoming more engaged and active online, with increased conversations occurring surrounding brands, businesses, and services, as well as involvement in social and political discourse.
In Nigeria the number of social media users is on the rise, reaching 32.9 million users in January 2022, a vast comparison to the 18 million users registered in 2017. What’s more, with the country boasting a large and growing youth population, Twitter has emerged as one of the most significant tools for businesses, enabling them to connect with the younger generations through advertising and marketing campaigns. This increased activity and access to online communication platforms has positioned Nigeria as the ideal market for various targeted social media campaigns by corporate strategists.
Reaching a vast array of consumers
Twitter has a significantly large audience base that savvy brands and marketers are able to tap into. In fact, the social media platform reported a total of 229 million global monetizable daily active users (daily users who see ads).
Additionally, 57% of the total 104 million internet users across Nigeria, aged between 16 and 64, actively used Twitter during the third quarter of 2021. In fact, the youth of the country is now considered one of the most active users on social media around the world.
However, it is important to remember that simply having a presence in this growing marketplace does not guarantee the success of any social media marketing campaigns. To assure the effectiveness of such campaigns, brands need to ensure they’re reaching the right audience, not just ‘spraying and praying’.
In the vast and diverse African market, leaning on an experienced partner can help businesses acutely understand how the social media market behaves. By partnering with trusted industry expert Ad Dynamo by Aleph, brands will be able to take full advantage of platform capabilities, including Twitter, connecting with consumers on platforms best-suited to their needs, and achieving advertising goals.
Through these partnerships, brands will not only have access to dedicated support from specialists in the industry, but also perform seamless cross-border transactions, and be able to advertise on both a local and global level, without limits.
Building brand recognition
According to Hootsuite’s Global State of Digital 2022 report, 16% of internet users between the ages of 16 and 64 use Twitter for brand research. By ensuring that brand messaging is consistent, stays on top of the relevant latest trends and conversations, and is being posted consistently, brands are able to build greater awareness of their business, products, services, and values with consumers.
But, this is only the first step. Brand recognition is about more than knowing who a brand is or what they do. By creating a holistic image of the brand, from colours and logos to tone and messaging, brands are able to ensure that consumers can quickly recognise a brand in whatever they do or put out onto the platform.
Developing trust and establishing relationships with consumers
Building an effective social media presence, and successful social media campaigns, on Twitter requires more than just shouting your messaging into the void. By consistently, and positively, interacting and connecting with consumers and potential customers, brands are creating deeper relationships with customers and are building rich communities.
The latest research on perceptions of brands by Twitter found that 77% of users on the platform feel more positive about brands that are community and society focused.
By sharing insights and messaging around the latest industry trends and news, brands project a voice of authority. By interacting with customers who are having issues with your brand, products, or services, or need help, brands showcase that they value their customers. And, by authentically engaging with customers, brands are able to humanise the business to their customers.
Improving customer experience
By implementing all of these tactics and strategies on the social media platform, many brands are able to deliver a better customer experience.
As customer expectations continue to evolve and consumers have access to increased choice and information at their fingertips due to the proliferation of technology, customers are no longer looking to interact with a corporation or business. Essentially, they want authentic and personalised experiences that demonstrate the value that a brand has placed on each and every customer. Social media platforms like Twitter are enabling brands to provide this to customers and meet their needs.
Generating new revenue streams
As we’ve already discussed, through Twitter, brands are reaching wider and more diverse audiences as the number of users on the platform continues to grow, particularly in Nigeria and across the African continent. But, more than this, the audience that brands are able to reach on Twitter have a higher spending power than those on other social media platforms. And, according to Twitter Business, 26% of people spend more time looking at ads on Twitter than other leading platforms while 54% of the platform’s audience are more likely to purchase new products.
It’s clear that many brands and marketers are leveraging Twitter to increase their brand awareness, build new relationships with consumers, improve customer experience, and translate all of this into measurable returns. Taking into consideration Nigeria and Africa’s growing youth population and increasing connectivity, in conjunction with Twitter’s rising popularity, now is the perfect time for brands to reach a larger, more diverse, and brand-aware audience both in the country and on the continent. So, what’s stopping you?
Federal government, yesterday, said that it will now launch the so-called FreeTV, with over 100 channels for news, sports, education, entertainment and children’s programming in multiple Nigerian languages on June 17.
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had initially scheduled for May 15 for the launch.
But the new date was announced by Mohammed Idris, minister of Information and National Orientation, on Wednesday during a facility tour of NIGCOMSAT, alongside Dr Charles Ebuebu, director general of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and other stakeholders.
Idris said the long-awaited migration from analogue to digital broadcasting had finally become a reality after years of failed attempts and delays, describing the project as a major breakthrough for Nigeria’s broadcasting industry.
“I have been grappling with this idea of the DSO for many years. Moving our transmissions from analogue to digital has now happened and is ready to be commissioned by June 17,” the minister said.
He revealed that several channels had already been bundled onto the platform, adding that the digital transition would transform broadcasting, advertising and television consumption across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to him, the new platform introduces scientific audience measurement tools capable of tracking viewership patterns in real time, thereby giving advertisers reliable data for targeted campaigns.
“Now science is at play. If you are viewing a station, we know who is watching what and how many people are watching. Advertisers can now take informed decisions about the kind of programming Nigerians want to watch across all demographics,” Idris stated.
The minister said the collaboration between NIGCOMSAT, NBC, the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Information had made the digital transition possible, while commending President Bola Tinubu for providing the necessary support and resources.
He described previous DSO efforts as limited and expensive due to encrypted set-top boxes but noted that the new system would be free and accessible to millions of Nigerians.
“In the past, the boxes were encrypted and costly. Now this is free. Government has taken off some of those costs on behalf of Nigerians,” he said.
Idris stressed that unlike earlier pilot phases restricted to a few cities, the new digital platform would have nationwide and regional reach through NIGCOMSAT’s satellite infrastructure.
“Everybody can now watch whatever he wants in real time and painlessly. Free TV everywhere for everybody”, he declared.
The minister also hinted that the platform would challenge the dominance of existing pay-TV operators by offering Nigerians wider viewing options at no cost.
“I don’t want to always use the word ‘substitute’, but this offers opportunities you didn’t get before. You no longer have that monopoly again. Competition is going to set in. Content will grow and viewership will grow,” he said.
He added that the platform would initially launch in standard definition, SD, before quickly transitioning to high definition, HD, bringing Nigerian broadcasting in line with global standards.
“Soon after the launch, we are moving to HD. Nigeria will now compete globally. What you watch here is what you get anywhere,” Idris said.
The minister further disclosed that the service was already available via mobile application and had successfully undergone testing ahead of the official unveiling.
Also speaking during the tour, managing director and chief executive officer of NIGCOMSAT, described the collaboration between NIGCOMSAT and NBC as a strategic partnership that has strengthened service delivery and raised operational standards within Nigeria’s digital broadcasting ecosystem.
According to her, ongoing investments and satellite expansion plans under the current administration will guarantee reliable and continuous service delivery.
“The work has only just started. The work has only just begun,” she said.
Among those who accompanied the Honourable Minister on the tour were Salihu Abdullahi Dembos, director-general, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA); Jibrin Baba Ndace, director-general, Voice of Nigeria (VON); Mohammed Bulama, director-general, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN); and Lanre Issa-Onilu, director-general, National Orientation Agency (NOA), alongside other senior government officials and dignitaries.
Metro Digital Limited, a licenced Indigenous broadcasting organisation, has accused Multichoice, pay television company, of refusing to obey judgements emanating from Courts in Nigeria.
It said the latest of such judgements is the one that was delivered by Justice Chinelo Odili of Rivers State High Court on May 4, 2026 in Suit No. PHC/3943/FHR/2025.
Dr. Paul Osuji, operations manager of Metro Digital, at a press conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State,
said the suit was filed by the organisation and two others against Multichoice and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Osuji stated that Justice Odili has in the judgement described the arrest of a staff member of the company and the carting away of it’s properties and disruption of it’s broadcasting business by the EFCC over a civil dispute of copyrighy as unlawful and violations of the applicants’ rights.
The manager recalled that in October 2025, Multichoice instigated the EFCC to read their office in Port Harcourt, arrested a staff of the company and staff of another company, while the suit was still pending.
“On October 16, 2025, the premises of Metro Digital Limited, a licenced indigenous broadcasting organisation was raided by the Nigerian anti-graft agency, EFCC, instigated by Multichoice Nigeria, purportedly acting on a preservation order made by the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt over the sub licensing of broadcasting content right.
“The preservation order came from a civil dispute already adjudicated by the Court of Appeal No. CA/CS/188/2021 – Multichoice Vs Metro Digital Limited and 20 others, which is a subject of a pending appeal -No. SC/CV/1248/2022 -Multichoice and 20 others before the Supreme Court.
“Instructively, while suit No. PHC/ 3943/ FHR/2025 was still pending, Metro Digital Limited filed an application to set aside the said preservation orders of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt and presided over by Hon. Justice A.T Mohammed.
“In his ruling delivered on December 10, 2025, set aside the preservation orders and it’s legal execution on Metro Digital Limited. The court also ordered EFCC to return unconditionally all the properties and records of Metro Digital Limited, illegally and unlawfully carted away during the raid but the agency has till today not obeyed those orders of the Court,” he said.
Metro Digital Limited is known for operating SLTV, a direct-to-home satellite television service launched to provide affordable, locally-owned alternatives to international pay TV
A Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from sanctioning or punishing broadcast stations and presenters over the expression of personal opinions, alleged bullying of guests, or failure to maintain neutrality on air.
NBC
Justice Daniel Osiagor granted the interim injunction following an ex parte application filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).
The court specifically restrained the NBC, its officers, agents and affiliated persons from enforcing its recently issued “Formal Notice” or imposing sanctions, fines or penalties on broadcasters based on provisions of the 6th Edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
SERAP and NGE had approached the court to challenge what they described as an arbitrary and unlawful move by the commission to punish broadcasters for allegedly expressing personal opinions as facts, bullying or intimidating guests, or failing to maintain neutrality during programmes.
The groups also asked the court to determine whether the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code relied upon by NBC were inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
The suit followed an April statement by the NBC in which it raised concerns over what it described as increasing violations of the broadcasting code across news, current affairs and political programmes.
The commission had warned that presenters who expressed personal opinions as facts or bullied guests during live broadcasts would be sanctioned.
However, Justice Osiagor, in his ruling, held that pending the hearing of the substantive matter, the commission must refrain from using the formal notice to threaten, sanction or punish broadcast organisations and on-air personalities under the contested code provisions.
The matter was adjourned until June 1, 2026, for hearing of the motion on notice.
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