Nigeria’s presidential election approaches and will be held on 16th of February. According to recent calculations, about 84 million people are set to vote on the election day.

Why social media is crucial at the Nigerian election?

Over the years, social media has become a serious battleground when it comes to elections. The candidates and their political party figures either pay others or themselves create fake social media accounts for numerous reasons — propaganda, agenda pushing, belittling competitors and spreading unofficial results. Also, getting the timing right when pushing the agenda and reaching younger audiences during the campaigns are vital. It’s important to have social media posts in sync with the overall communication.

Why it’s so important? The opposing parties post information that is beneficial to them and stir unrest, as the said information is not always true. Because of this, it’s believed that the government might try to shut down social media and the biggest news websites.

How to access blocked websites? Use a VPN

With the possible social media blocks, even the real news and key figures as well as election observers won’t be able to get or receive information, not to mention that there will be no way to pass on the information across the country or internationally. So how to access blocked websites as well as social media apps like WhatsApp, Twitter and etc?

VPN (Virtual Proxy Network) lets you change your IP address to make it appear as if you’re from another country, hiding your real IP in the process. It also secures your Internet connection, making it impossible to see what you’re doing online. If the block is severe, you might need to rely on obfuscated/stealth servers, which will easily let you access blocked websites. Here are a few recommended ones:

NordVPN ($2.99 per month, can cover up to 6 devices at the same time)

($2.99 per month, can cover up to at the same time) VyprVPN ($6.67 per month, can cover up to 5 devices at the same time)

($6.67 per month, can cover up to at the same time) ExpressVPN ($8.32 per month, can cover up to 3 devices at the same time)

Why these? First, you need a reliable VPN provider that doesn’t share or monitor what you’re doing online. It’s more important than you think, as unreliable providers might share your online activities with the government or intelligence agencies. Second, most VPNs offer simultaneous connections, meaning that you can use one subscription on more than one device, which can definitely come in handy.

The candidates

The main contenders for the position are the current President Muhammadu Buhari (of the ruling-All Progressives Congress) and the former vice president Atiku Abubakar (of the People’s Democratic Party). The tensions are high, as it is thought that the election will be very tight, meaning that every vote means a great deal.

Both candidates think they’ll best another for many reasons — Abubakar promised to solve inequality issues as well as create million of jobs. While Buhari is hoping that in his first term, he has achieved enough to be elected for a second term. Nigeria is one of the most influential African countries and has contributed a lot to maintain peace in the region. However, the country still struggles with access to water, electricity, insecurity and etc.