Kanyi Okeke
As we enter the second quarter of the year, Google is providing a glimpse at what the first quarter of 2023 looked like for Nigerians, based on the most popular search terms entered on the site.
A captivating blend of politics, pop culture, and curiosity swept across the Nigerian digital landscape in the first quarter of 2023, as revealed by Google’s top search trends.
Political intrigue reached a fever pitch as Nigeria’s general elections unfolded, captivating the nation’s attention. Held on February 25th, these pivotal elections determined the president, vice president, members of the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as state governors in 31 out of 36 Nigerian states.
Among the most searched individuals, Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, captured the top spot, outpacing even Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president-elect of Nigeria. Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, claimed the fifth position.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) emerged as the most searched entity between January and March, with Peter Obi and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) closely following. The CBN’s currency redesign prior to the elections undoubtedly contributed to its prominence.
In the realm of music, homegrown talent took center stage as Nigerians avidly sought out the latest tunes. Spyro’s infectious hit, ‘Who is your guy?’ claimed the top spot, with Ruger’s ‘Asiwaju‘ and ‘Carry me go‘ by Boy Spyce and Khaid securing second and third places, respectively.
The nation’s collective curiosity was also evident in the top trending questions, which ranged from ‘When is Easter 2023?’ and ‘When is WAEC 2023 starting?’ to ‘How to check my polling unit?’ and ‘Who is the President of Nigeria?’.
Unsurprisingly, the popularity of Spyro’s song sparked the question, ‘Who is your guy?’, further showcasing Nigeria’s deep-rooted love for the tune.
Here are the complete lists of top trending searches reflecting the diverse interests of Nigerians during the first quarter of the year:
Search trends information is gleaned from data collated by Google based on what Nigerians have been searching for and asking Google. Google processes more than 40, 000 search queries every second. This translates to more than a billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide. Live Google search trends data is available here.
