‘Maybe Jack couldn’t get SIM card in Nigeria’ — reactions to Twitter’s choice of Ghana as Africa HQ

The Nigerian and Ghanian Twittersphere has been set abuzz over the announcement of the choice of Ghana as headquarters of the microblogging platform.

Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s chief executive officer, announced the decvelopment on Monday.

“Twitter is now present on the continent. Thank you Ghana and @NAkufoAddo. #TwitterGhana,” Dorsey tweeted.

🇬🇭 Twitter is now present on the continent.

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Thank you Ghana and @NAkufoAddo. #TwitterGhana https://t.co/tt7KR3kvDg

— jack (@jack) April 12, 2021

 

The announcement has since generated reactions from some Nigerians on Twitter, as they have taken to the microblogging platform to register different opinions, especially on the choice of Ghana instead of Nigeria.

While some blamed the choice on policies said to negatively affect the ease of doing business in Nigeria, others claimed the government’s clampdown on protesters during the #EndSARS protests contributed to Twitter’s decision to choose Ghana.

“Maybe Jack couldn’t get SIM card,” Nimueh Anacksunamun, tweeted.

Maybe Jack couldn’t get SIM card https://t.co/eIlZYtDgbv

— Nimueh Anacksunamun🌚🌚 (@wickedstepmami) April 12, 2021

Meanwhile, Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanian president, has welcomed the development.

“The choice of Ghana as HQ for Twitter’s Africa operations is EXCELLENT news. Gov’t and Ghanaians welcome very much this announcement and the confidence reposed in our country,” the president tweeted in reply to Dorsey’s tweet.

The choice of Ghana as HQ for Twitter’s Africa operations is EXCELLENT news. Gov’t and Ghanaians welcome very much this announcement and the confidence reposed in our country. 1/3 #TwitterInGhana #TwitterGhana https://t.co/HdCqFgXK0x

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— Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) April 12, 2021

Below are reactions from Twitter on the announcement.

We brought in a group of expats in December. Till today, none of them has a Nigerian phone number, because you can’t buy SIM cards.

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Ease of doing business 😒

— Editi Effiòng (@EditiEffiong) April 12, 2021

This is what happens when a country has a President, instead of a UK resident.

Congratulations Ghana!#NoRestDuringUnrest#HarassBuhariOutofLondon pic.twitter.com/s79Q1XQtH7

— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) April 12, 2021

Another Big L for Nigeria who despite having the biggest active social media users, we got over looked for Ghana. This is obviously because of the anti-business policies of APC and Buhari. Shameful

— Oke Umurhohwo (@OkeStalyf) April 12, 2021

This was Nigeria once upon a time- Africa's pride.Under GEJ we demanded an apology within 7 days from South Africa for deporting Nigerians.That apology not only came,it was accompanied by a promise to over-haul immigration policies. Today we borrow grains from ECOWAS under Buhari https://t.co/fsslKa9NKS

— Umar Sa'ad Hassan🇳🇬 (@Alaye_100) April 12, 2021

Before Buhari happened in 2015, 🇳🇬 was the first choice country for foreign direct investments in Africa, with the oargest economy in Africa.

Post 2015, 🇳🇬 is a laughing stock, passport is disrespected, Naira is utterly useless!

Buhari is the Chief DE-MARKETER OF NIGERIA! https://t.co/7mbQ2DpVgu

— FestusGreen #PeterObi (@FestusGreen) April 12, 2021

Can you even imagine Twitter having a Nigerian office? AGF will serve them papers to delete accounts daily. DSS can show up to intimidate the hapless staff. Nah imagine it?? They chose Ghana and rightfully so. Love that for them

— Bisola (@Bisolaaa) April 12, 2021

I pray Ghana would not allow their country to be used as a platform for the orchestration of nuisance on the African internet space.

Nigeria is safer with the Hypocrisy of Twitter. We shall have to improve on our methods for elimination of Fake News on the informationspace. https://t.co/KpTgJ4M3Zq

— AG II (@adamugarba) April 12, 2021

Easy choice for me. #TwitterGhana is the closest to #NaijaTwitter & Nana didn't clamp down on Cryptocurrency, didn't order a Massacre and attempt to erase it with silence. Oh! Nana isn't killing tech startups too.

Well done @jack https://t.co/1qp4XrSF9l

— Adedayo Agarau (@adedayo_agarau) April 12, 2021

https://twitter.com/theonly1acre/status/1381637213562273797?s=20

In 2013 Nigeria was the top foreign investment destination in Africa – Then Nigerians decided to commit economic suicide

The gift of 2015 keeps on giving… https://t.co/sF56Ak1vr0

— King Alfred (@KingDouyeAlfred) April 12, 2021

Nigeria has 33M active social media users. Meanwhile, Ghana’s total population is just 31.5M, with 8.2M social media users.

But guess what, Jack still chose Ghana over Nigeria. Because what? We have bad leaders with terrible policies. https://t.co/pIfWkqXElC pic.twitter.com/wScTouYKik

— Slimfit (@iSlimfit) April 12, 2021

Another L for Nigeria.
The job lost, the fx lost, the knowledge lost. I hope the powers that be learn. https://t.co/AvT5wM2znk

— Sadiq Idris (@AbuAbokina) April 12, 2021

The only reason Twitter would go to Ghana before Nigeria is that Ghana has made it viable for them. Otherwise, it makes no sense, the numbers and market are in Nigeria’s favour.

This is a shame to Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business. https://t.co/1igLwkZOFh

— Karo (@Karovoni) April 12, 2021

Can you even imagine Twitter having a Nigerian office? AGF will serve them papers to delete accounts daily. DSS can show up to intimidate the hapless staff. Nah imagine it?? They chose Ghana and rightfully so. Love that for them

— Bisola (@Bisolaaa) April 12, 2021

https://twitter.com/Tife_fabunmi/status/1381644152128081925?s=20

Ghana has 31million people.
8million social media users.

Nigeria has 200million people.
33million social media users.

*Guess where Twitter chose as headquarters of African Operations?Ghana!

We ban crypto.
Kill small business.
Oppress young people.

This is why nobody rates us.

— #OurFavOnlineDoc 🩺 🇬🇧 (@OurFavOnlineDoc) April 12, 2021

Congratulations to me brothers in Ghana. We be the headqwaters of twitter Africa. Dem Nigerians be crying. With they president wey don pass menopause. God bless Ghena.

— SHANK COMICS🌝 (@Obacruze) April 12, 2021

Staying away from Nigeria is a smart choice!! 👏🏾 👏🏾 https://t.co/8hKBARAWcL

— 🦋 I (@Aya_Aya_Emiko) April 12, 2021

Nigeria has about ~44M social media users, way above the entire population of Ghana –30.42M. Ghana's social media users was pegged at about 6M.

Ghana is the champion of democracy, supporter of free speech, online freedom etc..

Buhari is the Chief DE-MARKETER of Nigeria. https://t.co/7mbQ2DpVgu pic.twitter.com/2Aqkla2oQh

— FestusGreen #PeterObi (@FestusGreen) April 12, 2021

Nigerian young techs can take advantage of the opportunity to work for Twitter HQ in Ghana. Check their website and start applying. Forget about Nigeria, the world has left her behind.

— A Field Marshal of the Han Dynasty⚡️ (@General_Oluchi) April 12, 2021

However, Tolu Ogunlesi, special assistant on digital/new media to President Muhammadu Buhari, sent a couple of tweets of some technology companies that had set up offices in Nigeria, saying there’s no need to fight over the choice of Ghana as Twitter’s headquarters in Africa.

“Ghana got Twitter, Nigeria got Facebook (operational H2 2021). God be praised. Let’s be happy for each other. Not everything is fight, dears. Ghana, congratulations,” the tweet reads.

Ghana got Twitter, Nigeria got Facebook (operational H2 2021). God be praised. Let’s be happy for each other. Not everything is fight, dears. Ghana, congratulations. 🇳🇬🇬🇭 https://t.co/EnMnjfd7kM

— Tolu Ogunlesi, MON (@toluogunlesi) April 12, 2021

When Microsoft opened $100m development centers in Nigeria and Kenya @MicrosoftADC (first two in Africa!) nobody went about dissing South Africa or politicizing anything. Because it’d have been silly. Grow up guys! https://t.co/wbb00WsAYJ

— Tolu Ogunlesi, MON (@toluogunlesi) April 12, 2021

Jan 2020: GOOGLE: “Today, we launched our first Google Developers Space on the African continent, in Lagos, Nigeria. The Google Developers Space is a hub for African developers,entrepreneurs & startups & will house the Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa.” https://t.co/RcqVCUPkxF

— Tolu Ogunlesi, MON (@toluogunlesi) April 12, 2021

His tweet didn’t go down well as some Twitter users argued that the choice of Ghana for Twitter headquarters in Africa shows the harsh anti-business policies of the federal government.

Comparing Hq to SBU😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/3ehJTvZX1k

— IBRAHIM (خليل الله) (@KAHZKAHZ) April 12, 2021

You don't understand what just happened. This is more massive than anything in recent times. It was also an objective decision, which means Nigeria fell short on decision criteria. There is nothing to be conciliatory about. Leadership failed us. Period.

— Babatope Falade-Onikoyi (@babsonikoyi) April 12, 2021

If Twitter refuses to put their headquarters in Nigeria, their biggest market in Africa if I am not mistaken, then it's beholden on Nigeria to put pressure on them if possible. It's also a business decision that we need to sit with them to find out why. https://t.co/AJbqqfdS9w

— Alabi Bunmi (@balabius) April 12, 2021

https://twitter.com/Naatasha_1/status/1381652091232485379?s=20

Ghana deserve it. Is it everything you guys want to be in Nigerian? The same Nigeria you curse, your burnt down. You pray evil should fall against her? You guys must be kidding jare

— M.S. MUHAMMAD (@AmMuhammad1886) April 12, 2021

But Facebook Africa's headquarters is in South Africa, not Nigeria. Facebook would only be opening an office in Lagos. Not the same. Ghana is getting Twitter HQ

— Eniola Akinkuotu (@ENIBOY) April 12, 2021

https://twitter.com/Sakagucheee/status/1381642044909744132?s=20