SOCIAL MEDIA: Top 10 Nigerian Politicians on Facebook, Instagram and X Platforms
Due to its broad reach and influence, social media has become increasingly crucial for Nigerian politicians. It allows them to connect directly with voters, share their messages, and mobilize support.
With Nigeria’s large and diverse population, social media platforms offer politicians a cost-effective way to engage with a large audience, especially among the youths who are active users of platforms like Facebook, Twitter now X, and Instagram.
Additionally, social media provides politicians with real-time feedback and allows them to gauge public opinion on various issues, helping them tailor their campaigns and policies accordingly.
In this report, TechDigest, a sister publication of Economic Confidential, profiles the top 10 Nigerian politicians with huge followership across Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter)
1. Dino Melaye (8.6M Followers)
Dino Melaye can be described as the enfant terrible of Nigerian politics in recent years. The Kogi-born politician served in the House of Representatives and the Senate, where he carved a niche as a vibrant lawmaker who doesn’t mind making the headlines for good and not-so-good reasons.
He is by a significant margin the most popular Nigerian politician on social media with 8.6 million followers inclusive of Instagram with 2.7 million, Facebook; 2.1 million and X with 3.8 million followers.
Mr. Melaye contested the 2024 Kogi state off-cycle governorship election under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and came a distant third.
2. Atiku Abubakar (7.2M Followers)
The former Nigerian Vice-president is the second most followed Nigerian politician with 7.2 million followers, cutting across Facebook with 1.4 million, Instagram with 723 thousand and X with 5.1 million followers.
The Adamawa-born politician garnered most of his followers during his electioneering period as the PDP presidential candidate in 2019 and 2023, respectively.
Atiku’s struggle for the office of president started in 2007. He failed two primaries, one under the PDP in 2007 and the other under the APC in 2015.
3. Peter Obi (6.5M Followers)
Many will be surprised to learn that Peter Obi has a large social media following. He is often referred to as the social media president. The former Anambra state governor rose to fame when he defected from the PDP to contest the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party (LP), where he came third.
His followers are spread across Facebook, with 1.2 million followers, Instagram, with 996 thousand, and his X application, with 4.3 million, for a total of 6.5 million followers. He is the third most followed politician on social media platforms.
4. Muhammadu Buhari (6.3M Followers)
Former President Muhammadu Buhari is the fourth most followed Nigerian politician on social media. In total, the retired military General amassed a following of 6.3 million on Facebook, Instagram, and X. He garnered most of his followers during the 2015 election when he defeated then-independent president Goodluck Jonathan.
Buhari, who joined social media in 2014, has 1.3 million followers on Facebook, 539 thousand on Instagram, and 4.6 million on X.
5. Yemi Osinbajo (6.1M Followers)
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Professor Yemi Osinbajo was a former Vice-president to Buhari from 2015 to 2023. He’s the fifth most followed Nigerian politician with a combined following of 6.1 million on Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has 918 thousand followers on Facebook, 1 million on Instagram, and 4.2 million followers on X. As a pastor, he uses social media platforms more often to relate to his audience on national and personal issues.
Osinbajo also contested the 2023 APC presidential primaries, where he came third and lost to President Tinubu, the eventual winner.
6. Goodluck Jonathan (4.7M Followers)
Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015. He is the sixth most followed politician with a total following of 4.7 million. The Bayelsa-born former governor has 2.3 million followers on Facebook, 16 thousand on Instagram, and 2.4 million on X.
Jonathan, an incumbent president and a candidate of PDP, was defeated in the 2015 presidential election by former President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.
7. Bukola Saraki (4.5M Followers)
The former president of the Senate in the 8th National Assembly has a combined followers of 4.5 million cutting across Facebook with 802 thousand, Instagram with 663 thousand and X with 3.1 million followers. Saraki who was a former governor of Kwara state contested the PDP, presidential primary in 2023 but failed to secure the party’s ticket. He also lost his re-election back to Senate in the 2019 general election. He is the seventh most followed Nigerian politician on social media.
8. Bola Ahmed Tinubu (4.3M Followers)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has been a prominent figure in the Nigerian polity since the dawn of the fourth republic in 1999, has amassed a following of 4.3 million, with 789 thousand on Facebook, 1.1 million on Instagram, and 2.4 million followers on X. The former Lagos state governor and a former Senator played a significant role in the agitation to return to democracy since the early 1990s.
9. Shehu Sani (3.8M Followers)
The Kaduna state politician commands a substantial following of 459 thousand on Facebook, 208 thousand on Instagram and 3.2 million on X, making a total of 3.8 million followers.
Shehu Sani was a former Senator representing Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly. He was at loggerheads with the former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-rufai, who frustrated his effort to secure a return ticket as a Senator under APC. Shehu Sani later decamped to PDP and contested the party governorship primary but lost to Isa Ashiru.
As an activist, he uses social media more often to assess national issues with a sense of humour.
10. Reno Omokri (3.8M Followers)
Mr Reno Omokri is an activist, and a social media influencer turned politician. He amassed a following of 3.8 million, the same as Shehu Sani. Over the years, he has used his influence to put the government on its toes. With a following of 589 thousand on Facebook, 734 thousand on Instagram and 2.5 million on his X application, Omokri has recently been using his social media pages to promote Nigerian culture, values, and made-in-Nigeria products.
Given social media’s significant role in shaping public discourse and political narratives, Nigerian politicians have since recognized the need for a strong presence on these platforms to remain relevant and competitive in the digital age.
Source: TechDigest
