The Nation Newspaper

Tag: media

  • Media vital for nation building -Mercy Ebuetse

    Media vital for nation building -Mercy Ebuetse

    Publisherof Shalom Truth Magazine (STM), Mercy Ebuetse, has called on media owners in the country to down play stories that promote violence and immorality in the society.

    She made the call during the launch of the magazine at Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja Lagos State.

    Information Minister, Labaran Maku; Abia State Governor, Dr Theodore Orji and General Overseer of Faith Tabernacle, Bishop David Oyedepo, were duly represented at the ceremony which took place during the week.

    The publisher identified the need to save Nigerians from distasteful publications as her reason for establishing the magazine, saying: “We believe that in building a strong nation, the role of the media is very paramount. Therefore, stories that promote sex and other vices should not be encouraged by the media.

    “If you look through the media these days, all you find are daily reports of war, ritual killings, kidnapping, insecurity and other several unpalatable stories that are unhealthy for the consumption of an average Nigerian. STM seeks to play a refreshing role of shifting the mind of an average reader to issues that promote peace and development. We are out to celebrate life in its entirety, especially at this period where moral decadence breeds insecurity in our country.”

    She stated that the establishment is concerned about working with the government to build a virile nation, adding, “We are joining forces with the Nigerian government to ensure that we have healthy minds in the society, people that can stand intellectual discourse. We are also concerned about the growing rate of unemployment in our country and would try to contribute our quota towards reducing it.”

    The Covenant University graduate identified access to finance as a serious challenge to young entrepreneurs in the country and called on the federal government to address the challenge. “Institutions should be put in place to help out those who need assistance to birth their dreams. Those at the helms of affairs in the country should assist young entrepreneurs to grow in the overall interest of the nation and the people,” she said.

    Representative of Abia Sate Governor, Mao Ohuabunwa, lauded the publisher for her courage to float the magazine and encouraged other youths in the country to emulate her.

    “Mercy read engineering in the higher institution but has veered into publishing today. She didn’t stay at home waiting for when her dream job would come. I will encourage other youths to emulate her. We are planning to hold a youth summit in Abia State later in the year and would invite her speak to our youths,” he stated.

  • Media houses reject IT students

    National Diploma students of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) in Ogba, Lagos are bitter over their inability to secure placement for their compulsory Industrial Training (IT). The students were rejected by media houses.

    The students, who should start their internship penultimate Monday, returned to the campus unhappy.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that some firms rejected students due to lateness, while others said they were not taking students for industrial attachment.

    A student who, did not give his name, said the school should be blamed for the development.

    “I believe the management should be blamed for this mess because they ought to have known those media houses that are in need of interns and those who don’t,” he said.

    An affected student, Israel Adeneye , said: “The media houses should not reject students because of stipdent, since students are sent there to gather practical experience”.

    The Students’ Affairs Officer of the institute, Patricia Kalesanwo, could not be reached for comments, as she was said to be on leave.

  • Abia CLO condemns clampdown on media

    Sunny Nwankwo

    The swoop on the media at the weekend by soldiers has continued to draw reactions from Nigerians. The Chairman, Civil Liberty Organisations (CLO), Abia State Chapter Prof. Charles Chinekezi has condemned the action, urging President Goodluck Jonathan to call the army authorities to order to avoid a future occurrence.

    Chinekezi who was speaking with journalists in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state, described the military action as the “height of irresponsibility and anti-democracy”, stressing that such action could truncate Nigeria’s nascent democracy.

    ”For me, what has happened is the height of irresponsibility on the side of whoever that was involved; whether the military or government. Whoever was the brain behind that action is anti-democracy. That person, group or organization is anti-democratic and we cannot go on with people like that. The CLO condemns it in the strongest term and brand such people, irresponsible Nigerians. They are people that want to truncate democracy.”

    He added “democracy that is available in Nigeria today was only obtained through the efforts of media organizations, writers who use only paper on pen and mere speech to try to remodel the society up to the level it has gotten to today. And how can we now accept anybody to truncate our democracy; be him a soldier, policeman, secret service agent, public servant or top government functionary who now want to staple the operational methodology of the Nigerian press? That person we cannot tolerate and we will go to any extent and whoever in this action wants to terminate the democracy in Nigeria.”

    “Look at the level of trauma, disorganization that we are suffering in the hands of insurgents called Boko Haram and the trouble Nigeria is suffering in the international community. Look at the level of economic and political trouble we are going through inside our country at present and somebody is now targeting to destroy the press, how far can that person go? He asked

    Reacting on the statement issued and signed by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major General Chris Olukolade on why the military confiscated and stopped the circulation and sales of The Nation and other newspapers across the country on Friday, the civil right activist asked “What type of routine check would warrant soldiers to invade media houses and stopped paper circulation, what kind of routine check is that? Where has that kind of check ever been conducted before? If for example, the military had anything to inquire for, don’t they how to meet the editors, publishers among others to have a personal chat with them and also inquire to be helped in a particular area of information? Why should they take the extreme measure of invading their offices?

    Continuing he stated; “the intention of whoever that is carrying out such nefarious activity is to stifle or reduce the effectiveness of the free flow of information. That is the only target they have, but I want to assure them that they have failed. It cannot deter the genuine process and the objective principles of objective and professional journalism and we will not be intimidated by anybody. We cannot be deterred. It is unfortunate that we will be talking this type of issue by now, it is very unfortunate. That is not the duty we send them to do.

    “The duty we send them to do is to help and curb the level of insurgency that is rearing its ugly head in the north which is trying to disintegrate or disorganise Nigeria. They should know that by their action, they are trying to threaten National security by threatening the security of the press.

    They want to destroy newspaper and mass media business and investment. They want to also destroy people’s carrier and government by extension. What they are doing is evil. Even in the draconian Abacha government and all the military juntas that have passed, we have gone through all these things. We have known the methodologies and I am advising the executive president to call whoever that is behind this action to order. He has a duty as the president of this country to call this people to order because they have crossed the Rubicon and are now going haywire and we cannot accept that, the CLO Abia chapter chairman stated.

  • Crackdown on media, unwarranted

    SIR:The three basic functions perform by the media are that of information, education and entertainment. These are the conventional social functions the media render to the public anywhere in the world.

    In performing these functions, the media in Nigeria has contributed in no small measure to national development and the entrenchment, growth and sustenance of democracy, where the fundamental human rights of every citizen are guaranteed.

    It is for the very crucial role of the media in the society in teaching, sensitizing and mobilizing the people via information dissemination, that the freedom of the press is guaranteed in the constitution, besides the freedom of speech enshrined as part of the basic fundamental human rights of citizens.

    This is where the reported clampdown by the Nigerian military on the media, during which some newspapers were reportedly confiscated and distribution vans of media outfits impounded acting on a supposed intelligence report is condemnable.

    I do not think it is proper for the army to launch this kind of onslaught on the media, no matter where the directive may have come from. Rather than this needless intimidation of the media, what the Nigerian Army as a key security agency ought to do is to continue to ensure a very smooth relationship with the press. As a matter of fact, they are supposed to see themselves as partners in progress with media organizations in the fight against terrorism which is seriously hitting us in the face at the moment. The deadly activities of the Boko Haram sect have reportedly claimed about 12, 000 lives since 2009 and the terrorist group is currently holding captive about 300 innocent schoolgirls for almost two months now. The rescue of these girls is what we should concentrate on now and not the terrorization of newspaper firms.

     

    • Michael Jegede,

    Abuja

     

  • Jonathan: fear of the media …

    The fear of God, says the scriptures, is the beginning of wisdom — positive fear that drives positive change. But what of paranoia that views everyone as mortal enemies?

    Such paranoia appears to have gripped the Jonathan presidency, with its current war on the media.

    Like crazed but phoney Leviathans, Nigerian troops on the highway flex their muscles, cock their guns and unpin their grenades.  Their formidable opponents?  Harmless newspaper van drivers, speeding off to deliver newspapers in far-flung Nigeria.

    The troops stamp, growl and grunt: Boko Haram has found new allies in newspapers and their transport fleet.  Their winning intelligence, sure banker to sack the dreaded Sambisa Forest, screams and swears Boko Haram bombs nestle among newspaper parcels.  But after searching and searching, and detaining van drivers, and impounding newspaper stock for no less than three days, they have hit nothing but empty air.

    Yet, the Jonathan military braves keep on searching, impounding, and detaining; and keep on threatening, huffing and puffing, even bullying innocent vendors, like some coward who sees a person he could beat up and suddenly becomes hungry for a fight.  Meanwhile, their attention is sorely needed in Sambisa Forest!

    But maybe the troops are looking the wrong way, for the invisible bomb.  Poor dears, they are searching newspaper parcels!  How about some positive suggestions?

    Since news (not newspapers) is the new enemy, why don’t these brave and admirable troops confiscate every hand phone — smart and not-so-smart — every computer tablet, every iPad, and every IPod?

    If they did that, they would perhaps have arrested every facebook post, every tweet, every online story, every breaking news — and gosh! these online media are notorious for “breaking news” without necessarily double checking — and even every subversive music on IPod: yes IPod, for all that sweet music may well be lyric-ised code of Boko Haram ordinance!  Come on boys, the physical newspapers are too clumsy and slow, the real enemy is the nimble social media!

    And if that did not deliver much, why not simply militarily decree and flatly outlaw the use of these smart gadgets — or better still, jam the satellite sites that power them?  And if you are reminded it is a democracy, which outlaws such knee-jerk and brainless military rule tactics, just remind them as Sage Doyin Okupe has volunteered: for security from Boko Haram, citizens’ basic rights must bow, constitution or no constitution!

    Given the Jonathan military goons’ especial focus on this newspaper, in their quixotic war, it is legit to declare: “The fear of The Nation is, for President Jonathan, the beginning of wisdom — or more correctly folly.”

    Yes, folly because what power can a common newspaper have against the all-mighty president who could easily have been a Pharaoh or a Nebuchadnezzar or a General but has graciously refused to do so?

    But before Jonathan’s army got lost in its quixotic maze, this simple reminder: by bullying what it thinks is “soft targets”, while the hard target sits un-harassed inside Sambisa Forest, its tactics are no better than Boko Haram’s.

    But then, it is the age of equal-opportunity terrorism — whether by Boko Haram or Jonathan’s troops!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Hammer on the media

    Hammer on the media

    Nigeria moved 15 years backward at the weekend. In the post-military era, soldiers were on the prowl on the highways, seizing consignments of newspapers and tampering with the freedom of information. This kind of torture on the media was not even witnessed under the power loaded President, Olusegun Obasanjo, who loomed large on the beleaguered country for eight years.

    Following the crackdown on selected media houses, the fate of a supposedly free society hung in the balance. As the Federal Government targeted the newspapers for liquidation in a military style, ahead of the next year general elections, suspicion grew about the real motive of the security agencies. Many believed that it was a deliberate attempt to gag the Fourth Estate of the Realm and curtail the freedom of expression. It is note-worthy that some of the affected newspapers are not government’s praise singers.

    The siege on the newspapers distribution was carefully planned. Media circulation vans were ambushed. The consignments were forcefully seized. The vans were impounded. The drivers were molested, harassed and arrested. Vendors, who waited in vain for the  confiscated newspapers in major towns and cities across the federation, cried foul over the disruption of their daily work. Nigerians who eagerly waited for daily supply of newspapers were denied access to information. In the evening, the soldiers on rampage  reluctantly released the consignment at a time the newspapers were no more marketable. In Nigeria, the cost of producing a newspaper edition is high. Thus, the affected media houses incurred huge losses.

    Defensively, the Defense Headquarters offered a feeble and spurious explanation. The Director of Defense Information, Gen. Chris Olukolade, alleged that media vans were moving materials with grave security implications. Yet, when the vans were searched, nothing incriminating was found. More worrisome was that the consignments that had already been delivered at distribution centres were also taken away by soldiers. In some Southwest and Southeast states, security men laid siege on outstation offices. They pounced on some reporters under the guise of searching for elusive bombs.

    The onslaught was sudden. It provoked outrage among media executives, lawyers, politicians and leaders of civil society. Angry stakeholders berated the soldiers for acting without thinking. Some said that, if the soldiers, who were obviously disturbed by their lack of success in the war against the dreadful Boko Haram sect, have now decided to vent their frustration on the media, it was a misplaced aggression. As the renewed emasculation of the media continues to generate controversy, the weekend brutality will elicit a fury of criticisms this week from the parliament, opposition governments and concerned statesmen.

    However, the siege is not over. The soldiers, who opened a new chapter in media oppression, suppression and travesty of democracy, continued the condemnable assault yesterday. More consignments were seized. Now, van drivers whose distribution schedules are night-bound, are complaining that their lives are in danger.

    The last time a curious war was waged against the media was during the military regime. Then, the tension between the sit-tight military rulers and the progressive media was sustained by the fight for popular rule. Although some reporters and few media houses have suffered skeletal bruises under this administration, they paled into insignificance in the face of the massive onslaught, including the closure of media houses, unjust arrest, detention and imprisonment of journalists, which characterised the military era.

    Observers contend that the Federal Government may have not learned from the lessons of history. There was never a time any government succeeded in its vituperation and virulent attack on the media, especially at a time practitioners are committed to the pursuit of an egalitarian society.  It is also likely that those in power do not understand that the media is not for or against any government. Emphasising the legitimate role of the media in the nurturing of a democratic society, the doyen of the profession, the late Alhaji Babatunde Jose, pointed out that, in the final analysis, the media is for the people of Nigeria.

    Efforts by past governments to trample on the press and frustrate its devotion to the pursuit of truth, the rule of law and justice were futile. The gulf between the pro-people media and dictatorial regimes can be attributed to the rejection of the notion that the press, as the most popular and durable agency of the oppressed society, is willing to always play its role as partner in progress in the effort to genuinely find lasting solutions to the crises of nation-building and challenges of development. However, whenever the media seeks to carry out this exclusive patriotic assignment without let and hindrance, its position may rattle or unsettle the unpatriotic elements in high places.

    The press has two options. One is to forge an alliance with the government without reservations. The other is to play its role as the watchdog as requested by the people. With a benefit of hindsight, society can only become a better place, when the media decides to take the latter route. When the media is aloof to economic stagnation, political deterioration, theft and graft in high places, cluelessness of government in the face of mounting challenges and lack of courage to take firm and decisive steps that can move the trembling nation forward, then, it has become an accomplice and a major contributor to the rot. Thus, it can be argued that the greatest national asset is the uncompromising media that is eternally dedicated to cause of the society, and invariably, the welfare of the common man, through the practice of journalism with a sense of balance, proportion and truth.

    Instead of pouring venom on the media and censoring the media, government can do better by perceiving the press as the mirror and link between it and the people that conferred the democratic mandate through their votes. In the collective search for the way forward, it is counter-productive for the government to uncritically brand a section of the media as a foe, or dismiss it as the pervasive symbol of partisanship, when its focus and the summary of its exposition is the solution to the national question in the national interest.

    Truth will always bail the press out in a moment of trial and predicament. The dark period will always be short-lived. Historically, the colonial masters charged many nationalist-journalists, including Dr. Nnamidi Azikiwe, Ernest Ikoli and Anthony Enahoro, with sedition. But, the move did not cripple the struggle for independence.

    Also, in the post-independence period, the media had survived the tyranny of lords of manor, including the over-zealous military governor, who shaved the hair of reporters with knife and broken bottle, military Heads of State who rolled anti-democratic decrees under which journalists were hounded into detention and jailed, and the ebullient military propagandist and fork-tongued minister of information, who shut five media houses under Babangida and Abacha regimes. The media survived their atrocities.

    Freedom of the press is an essential elements of democracy. Once it is annulled, the country may regress into civilian dictatorship. No government wages war against the press and still expects to remain popular. Also, no responsible media will mobilise public opinion to support an inept administration in a democratically conscious polity. It is also against the libertarian philosophy of journalism for the media to engage in self-censorship and condone the increasing laxity of government. It must also be noted that it is very difficult for any government that cannot permit full press freedom to guarantee other fundamental rights. When troops are deployed to intimidate reporters, it is an abuse of the military establishment by the Commander-In-Chief.

    Fifteen years of uninterrupted civil rule is enough to douse the acrimony between the government and media. But, since many past military apologists and collaborators still form the bulk of top government functionaries, it appears that the role of the media in democracy is still beyond the ken and comprehension of old military lackeys  in the civilian dispensation. What the recent seizure of newspapers by soldiers portends for the polity is that a conducive atmosphere may not be guaranteed for journalists to perform their traditional roles, especially as the polity prepares for the crucial 2015 general elections.

    However, the greatest implication of the sledge hammer on the media, 15 years after, is that Nigeria has only achieved civil rule. Democracy is still far.

  • Who is afraid of the media?

    If you get to read this column, you are probably one of the lucky Nigerians who have not been denied access to newspapers following the shocking crack down on media houses by the military.

    Since Friday, nationwide distribution of newspapers has been disrupted by armed soldiers and other security men who claimed to be acting on instruction to search for explosives in circulation vehicles.

    In enforcing the directive, newspaper distribution centres have been raided, vendors harassed, vehicles impounded and media houses’ vehicles seized.

    True to the soldiers claim, the defence headquarters has confirmed that its men were acting on an intelligence report which indicated that dangerous materials were being moved through circulation vans.

    “The general public and affected organizations in particular are assured that the exercise was a routine security action and should not be misconstrued for any other motive,” Director of Defence Information Major General Chris Olukolade said in his statement on Friday.

    Considering the state of insecurity in the country, it is understandable why the security forces should be at alert and take every intelligence report seriously. They have come under a lot of criticisms for not being able to contain the sporadic attacks across the country by terrorists and other criminal gangs and should be seen to be doing  everything possible to live up to the expectations of the people.

    It is the duty of the government through the security agencies to ensure the security of lives and property and any step in this direction should be commended.

    However, if for any reason there are indeed  intelligence reports about use of newspaper distribution vans for moving explosives  around the country, the searches could have been better done without leaving room for the motive of the military to be misconstrued.

    Except the military believes that the managements of the media organizations could be party to the use of their vehicles for carrying the dangerous weapons, one would expected that the owners and managers of the affected organizations would have been contacted on the intelligence reports to seek their support to arrest anyone who may be using their vehicle without their knowledge.

    Since the exercise has nothing to do with the content, operations and personnel of the media organizations as the defence spokesman said, there was no need to have stormed the distribution centres and stopped the distribution of the papers even after searching and finding nothing incriminating in the vehicles.

    If the Friday seizures were the handiwork of overzealous soldiers acting beyond their brief as Major General Olukolade’s press statement suggested, why did the crackdown continue on Saturday and affected more newspapers.

    Now that no dangerous materials have been found in the vehicles of the affected newspapers,  who pays for the losses the media house have to incurred due to the inability to sell the seized copies.

    The media and Nigerians deserve more explanation on what is really happening to warrant the undue assault on the freedom of the press under a democratic government.

    Anyone or organisation , with enough evidence found liable of colluding with terrorists should not be spared.  However, a situation where the media is being given a bad name for no justifiable reason to hang it is rather unfortunate.

    For all the media has done, still doing and will do, in the efforts to end the reign of terror in the country, it should be regarded as a partner and not an enemy.

  • Presidential media chat holds on Sunday

    President, Goodluck Jonathan will host the Seventh Presidential Media Chat on Sunday.

    In a statement tweeted by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, he urged members of the public  to send questions they want President Jonathan to address via twitter to @mediachatng1.

  • The Nation’s Correspondent wins global media award

    The Nation’s Correspondent wins global media award

    A Senior Correspondent of The Nation,  Adedeji Ademigbuji and  Birame Faye,  reporter at Le Quotidien newspaper, Senegal have been declared joint winners of the maiden edition of media awards on Electrical Counterfeiting in Africa.
    According to a statement from the African Press Organisation (APO) Thursday Ademigbuji, won with the story “Checking the menace of fake electrical products”   while Faye’s winning entry  in French was titled  “Electricité – Usage des produits contrefaits : De l’insécurité dans notre confort domestique.”
    The award is sponsored  by Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management  to eliminate counterfeiting of electrical products in Africa.
     “Schneider Electric is extremely proud to award the very first Media Awards on Electrical Counterfeiting in Africa. We were very impressed by both the quantity and quality of entries, judging was an incredibly difficult process but we were unanimous in our decision that Adedeji Ademigbuji and Birame Faye were worthy winners. On behalf of Schneider Electric, and personally, I would like to express my warmest congratulations to these two very talented journalists,” stated Mohammed Saad, President of Schneider Electric in Africa.
    Both winners will soon be invited to France to receive their prizes during a ceremony which will hold  in the presence of Mme Tracy Garner – Global Anti-counterfeiting Manager – Schneider Electric.
    Ademigbuji is the winner of the 2013 Social Enterprise Reporting Award, SERA, in the CSR Category and the Nigerian Media Merit Awards, NMMA, Coca-Cola Prize for the Brands & Marketing Category.
  • How productive is social media shopping?

    How productive is social media shopping?

    Social media has evolved as a crucial platform for individuals and firms to showcase products and services. It has become a channel for consumers to make informed choices and a meeting place for buyers and sellers. TONIA ‘DIYAN reports

    Agatha Ike has become an addict of a particular product page on facebook. In the last four years, she has liked the page, because on it, she has been able to know more about the product in question and its benefits.

    She is also armed with various updates from time to time on the importance of sticking with the same product. She now prefers the products to others in its category. One of her comment on the page reads:”I have tasted all the flavours the product has, they are incomparable to the flavours of other products in its category. Thumbs up!!!”

    Another follower of the same page, Betty Ozioma, said: “I cherish this product so much because it is so nourishing.” The page parades several flavours “I feel good using it and I love it.”

    Social media, in the last decade has evolved into one of Nigeria’s strongest platforms where infopreneurs showcase products and services and provide an avenue for consumers to make choices.

    The ascendancy of social media rests on the fact that it has broken the barriers of traditional market where traders place their wares in shops or road sides to make a sale.

    More importantly, social media enables products to connect with customers’ easily. It is said to give businesses leverage and serves as an important tool for marketing. So many businesses have entered the market and have worked hard to earn consumers’ loyalty and respect through promotions and campaigns.

    Along the way, some have become household names, while others have grown bigger with the adoption of social media for product building.

    Quality products often have Facebook pages that are growing daily. Overwhelming response to the daily tips on specific topics by visitors to various pages have resulted in countless clicks on the Like button since its inception.

    In addition, thousands of visitors to these  sites engage in lively discussions on their daily experience with products and businesses. For retailers, social media serves as a means of reaching out to consumers.

    Mrs Folashade Randle of The Home Store in Surulere, Lagos said social media provides consumers with access to enough content to be able to choose from.”

    Mrs Randle said the platform makes consumer awareness easier and helps with decisions consumers make on a daily basis concerning products.

    “Communication is key and social media helps bridge the gap between the product and the consumer,” Mrs Randle said.

    Social media has helped with creating awareness, communication and also for narrowing down/reaching out to a large audience that consist of customers and potential customers.

    Social media is a very important tool for commerce, bridging the gap between the brand and its consumer. With social media, commerce and brands can drive much traffic with good content and good conversation to the website.

    This eventually leads to conversion for the brand in terms of sale. Social media if done well can build a good image for the brand.

    However, products equity depends on two things: the level of awareness it commands among consumers in its category and how positive the consumer is concerning the product as perceived by its image.

    With comments like “this product or place is the best and original in Nigeria”, “I love this place, product or business or my day is incomplete without a taste or feel, or use of this product” by people who visit these pages, it becomes easier to appreciate the premium value of the businesses and products, in addition to clicks on Like button on comments that cumulatively run into thousands.

    Interestingly, social media shops also reward visitors to the page.  A good example is the chivita page, where a follower  gets a discount on up to 5 Chivita Premium cartons. The more friends that a player has who also like the page and the more correct answers to questions about the friends, the more the chances of the players winning prizes like iPad 2 or Samsung chat phones.

    According to Managing Director of Chi Limited, Mr. Roy Deepanjan, “The need to inform consumers on the benefits of consuming 100 percent fruit juice as well as providing useful and life enhancing health tips necessitated our facebook page opening. We want to nurture long-term relationships with our consumers through the Chivita Premium Facebook Page, in an engaging and mutually beneficial way” he said.

    Innovations in technology have witnessed the e-business and online marketplace boom operated by international models Ebay and Nigeria’s leading online marketplace Kaymu. This is as a result of the online culture embraced by Nigerians in recent times.

    The growth of Nigeria’s online culture is largely facilitated by the advent of social media. Besides engaging and connecting people, social media has become a marketing function that allows businesses target consumers with personalised offers and deals.

    Big players in the Nigerian online marketplace, kaymu.com.ng have identified social media as a valuable marketing tool, emphasising its influence on consumer buying behavior.

    The impact social media has on brand is huge and Ebay’s estimates that in the next two years, the value of social media for retail will be more than double £1.5bn to reach around £3.3bn.

    Kaymu’s Public Relations Manager, Tomiwa Oladele, said social media influences and inspires purchases. “Many online shoppers are active users of social media and their purchases are influenced by social media trends, ads and engagements”, she added.

    Shoppers embrace online shopping for a variety of reasons, ranging from convenience to options, price and competitiveness. To this end brands are constantly using social media to capture and retain attention as well as influence sales.

    Since inception, platforms like Facebook, have been a primary vehicle for the promotion of businesses as it allows consumers engage in a discussion about a product or service which they like or intend to purchase and this influences consumer purchasing behavior.

    In recent times, business savvy brands like Kaymu have engaged the use of other social media platforms like Instagram, Google and Youtube as added marketing channels.

    Major brands are certain that social media will drive retail traffic and become a “major channel of commerce.

    When it comes to retail, more than 25 percent of new customers come from Facebook, and from Twitter.

    “Social media has become a major channel of commerce and we believe that social shopping, as everyone is calling it now, is the future of ecommerce.” Said Afam Anyika, offline manager, Jumia.com.ng

    Facebook stores  are driving sales and are effective platforms for acquiring new customers compared to more traditional methods

    A report by Reuters said: Facebook seems to have finally wised up to how to make money from its own mobile applications. The social network said it made 14 percent of its advertising revenue or roughly $152.6 million, from mobile advert during the third quarter of 2012.

    Reuters also estimated that 80 percent of the world’s most popular brands are on social media.

    On the social network, there is an array of big-names owners from Kontessa bags and shoes to just anything worth selling.

    Today, retailers are becoming more aware of what’s called the “social mobile consumers,” or in other words, the increasing amount of people spending time on their smartphones browsing social media, helping an array of consumers from grocery to clothing to electronics – reach products on their devices.