Koo officially launches in Nigeria — two months after FG suspended Twitter

Koo, an Indian microblogging and social networking app, has launched its operation in Nigeria.

Aprameya Radhakrishna, co-founder and chief executive officer of Koo, announced the entry of the app into the Nigerian market at a media briefing on Tuesday.

The development comes two months after the federal government suspended Twitter operations in Nigeria.

The government had alleged that Twitter was being used to undermine “Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

Less than a week after suspending Twitter operations, the federal government opened an official account on Koo.

Speaking at the launch, Radhakrishna said Koo is aimed at enabling Nigerians to express themselves in the digital space.

He said the application, which was launched in 2020, allows users to share personal updates and opinions across numerous topics of interest in 400 characters.

The Koo co-founder said the microblogging app has since amassed a user base of over seven million people since its launch, with seven Indian languages as well as English currently available on the platform in India.

Radhakrishna said Koo’s primary goal is freedom of expression, describing it as a platform that supports and promotes language diversity whilst offering users a safe space for respectful and meaningful conversations.

“When we launched Koo, our aim was to give users a platform, where opinions can be expressed freely irrespective of the languages one knows,” he said.

“We want users to be able to interact in the language of their choice with some of the most incisive minds on the internet, whilst keeping engagement respectful and harmonious.

“Users can engage in conversations across multiple topics using some of our varied features, including hashtags, a rich 400-character limit, dedicated buttons to share posts across other social media platforms, among several others.”

Radhakrishna expressed Koo’s delight at the opportunity to launch in Nigeria, citing the country’s rich cultural diversity as an impetus for entering the market.

According to him, Koo will soon be available in multiple local languages, including Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and Pidgin English.

“Nigeria is a country with a rich cultural background and heritage. While it is an English-speaking country, we feel it is important for the people to be able to communicate in their local language in the digital space which will further enrich the local culture of Nigeria,” he said.

“Working with Nigerian people, Koo has been able to appreciate the historical and cultural nuances of the country. We would encourage a positive attitude on the platform, making us partners in progress.”