Considering the impact of social media in today’s world, it is important to know which among the countless social network are leading the market, and how they can be used to better improve social presence for personal and business purposes. To some people, Facebook is the only popular social network in Nigeria, however the truth is that there are countless other social network, some which are very popular in some particular region/countries. For instance, Wechat is one of the leading social networking sites in the world and it is mostly popular in the Asian countries.

Despite the fact that Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the world, it is not allowed to operate in China. Today, i’ll be highlighting the top 8 social network in Nigeria as at 2017. Obviously, the websites that make up the list will continue to remain popular for a long time.

Facebook

Undoubtedly, Facebook is the #1 social networking site in the world. According to the website popularity rank by Alexa, Facebook is the third most popular website in the world, after Google and YouTube. In fact, some research data have it that 9 out of 10 youths in the USA have Facebook app installed on their phone. That’s not all, Facebook data also revealed that over 1.2 billion users are registered on the platform as at 2016 and the number of registered users is increasing every second. As part of their mission to connect the world, Facebook is also partnering with some telecommunication companies in different countries to provide free access to their services without using mobile data. In Nigeria, users on Airtel network can browse Facebook and some “free basics” websites for free without using mobile data.

Twitter

Twitter is the second most popular social network in Nigeria, and it is one of the best websites to follow live events both local and internationally. Although many Nigerians consider it boring, it remains one of the best platforms for celebrity, bloggers and online marketers. In fact, it is the favorite platform for celebrities as it helps them promote their work effectively. One of the major issues people have with twitter is the character limitation, which prevent users from tweeting texts longer than 140 character. As at the time of writing this article, twitter has started rolling out new updates for some users, which allow them to post tweet longer than 140 character.

Snapchat

According to the information available on the web achieve, snapchat has been registered since 1999, however it was not popular until 2012 when the company rolled out some great features for the mobile app. Lest i forget, snapchat is mainly for smartphone users, and it is one of the first social network that start live update, stories and animated filters. Personally i do not use snapchat, however the website have it that snapchat supports premium features which allow users to sell their contents to followers via subscription (not verified by me). Another interesting thing about snapchat is the privacy of data. According to the website, uploaded contents not stored or transferred to third party.

Instagram

After Facebook and Twitter, Instagram is the next most popular social network in Nigeria. One of the reasons for the popularity is the direct connection with Facebook. Even if you’re not yet registered on Instagram, as long as you are registered on Facebook, you’ll keep getting recommendations or invitations from your friends. Nowadays, Instagram is replacing the traditional photo album, and the good part of it is that you don’t have limit on the number of photos/videos you can upload. For online marketers, Instagram is a good platform to reach young audience, especially the fashion enthusiasts.

LinkedIn

This is the #1 professional social networking website in the world with over 400 million registered users. LinkedIn is not very popular in Nigeria, however it is worth mentioning because it is one of the best networking platforms for professionals and young graduates who are looking for employment and opportunities. LinkedIn is my favorite social network, and as a matter of fact, i am one of the top connected Nigerians on LinkedIn, and you can request to connect with me if you’d like to benefit from my huge connection. I have published an article about LinkedIn for Nigerian graduates, and i think it is worth reading.

Google Plus

Google is the most popular website in the world, however their social platform does not gain the popularity it deserves. The platform is highly rich in quality contents, however only few people use it in Nigeria. To be very honest with you, i’m not very active on Google plus. I seldomly login to update my business page to enhance my search engine optimization and gain exposure. If you’re a blogger, working on improving your website’s visibility on Google, sharing your posts on Google plus will help you get your posts indexed very fast.

Naijapals

I have been a member of Naijapals since 2009 and i can boldly say it is the #1 local social networking website in Nigeria. Of course, it is not very popular like the top global social network, however if you’re looking for a place to connect with 100% Nigerians and follow local stories, Naijapals is the best place to be. You can get latest happenings in the Nollywood and the Nigerian music industry. And another interesting thing on Naijapals is the sharing of confessions by members. You can learn from people who share their experience on the platform.

Lindaikeji Social

The last on the list is from our own sister and the most successful blogger in Nigeria, Linda Ikeji. Lindaikeji Social is pretty new and is likely to be among the leading social networking websites in Nigeria in few years. Launched in 2016, lindaikeji social has gained the trust of lindaikeji blog’s readers. One of the interesting things about the site is the chance of earning money by sharing latest news with the site management. Like Naijapals, the target market is Nigeria. If you’re looking for a social networking website with enough gossip, then this is the right choice for you.

I hope this list makes sense to you. Feel free to drop your comment if you have suggestions or recommendations as regards the top social network in Nigeria. And remember to share the article on your social profile.