Have you ever wonder how this buzzing word “blogging” crippled into Nigerian? Blogging have become an online integral term for Nigerians but it wasn’t like that in some couple of years back. Blogging have a relatively short history in Nigeria, even when compared with international blogs. If I say that there are over hundred thousand of Nigerian blogs on the web today I’m pretty sure it is not an overestimation.

There is no any other time that we can talk about blogging in Nigeria if not now that the numbers of Nigerian blogs have skyrocketed. Right from the year 2012, according to easyspace record; 62% of business owners now own and run a blog

History of Blogging in Nigeria

In Early, 2000

There is emerging of blogs as a result of free blogging platform, Blogger.com launched in 1999 by Evan Williams and Mog Hourihan of Pyra Labs. Initially, it was Personal photos, family pictures, and life experiences that were share online through blogger.com blog and picasa web album.

In 2002

Fashion blogs begin to emerge on the internet. Some group of Nigerians in Diaspora began to set up blogs. This attracted many Nigerian bloggers.

In 2003

Google purchases Blogger.com and acquires AdSense from Oingo Inc. Google matches Ads to blog content. AdSense made it possible for bloggers without huge platforms to start making money from when they first started blogging (however, payments to low-traffic blogs weren’t very large). When some bloggers started making money from their blogs, the number of Meta blogs increased. Many Nigerians began to put up their own niche blogs on entertainment, fashion and style. Later on, Tech and How-to blogs follows.
Blogs became bigger when another today’s popular blogging platform, wordpresss was released on May 27, 2003. It became fun and competitive; best Nigeria blogger usually barge award at the end of the year; nomination were done through blog readers’ rating. Some group of Nigeria bloggers organize the award and price giving.

In 2005

Nairaland forum, an online community created by Seun Osewa joins the trend. Many Nigerian bloggers seeing how promising Nairaland is going to be join the today’s Nigeria biggest online forum, Nairaland.

In 2006

All blogger blog were associated with Google account and were mover to Google server. By the middle of 2006, there were 50 million blogs according to Technocrati’s State of the Blogosphere reports. Between that middle of the year 2006 and 2008, there are over hundred of Nigeria blogs on the web.
Some of the today’s top ranking Nigerian blogs sites were created in 2006 after Google pronouncement of monetization of blogger blog content.

Top Nigeria Blogging Sites

Among the top ranking Nigeria blogs created in 2006 are;

• Linda ikeji’s blog created by LINDA IKEJI.

Linda ikeji being inspired by Bella naija’s blog, an entertainment, fashion and style blog created her blog (Entertainments, Fashion, Style and Gossip blog) under the Google free blogging platform, blogger.com. Today, Linda Ikeji is popular tag the face of blogging in Nigeria because of her outstanding success in blogging. She has made a name that will be difficult to be erase from the history of blogging in Nigeria.

• Bellanaija’s blog created by Uche Eze.

Bellanaija’s blog (Entertainments, Fashion, Style and News blog) was first created before Linda Ikeji blog and still rank high today; though, not as popular as Linda Ikeji’s blog.

In some of my later posts, I will be telling you the secret behind Linda Ikeji’s blog Popularity.

• Naijatechguide created by PASCAL OKAFOR.

Pascal Okafor first created his Blog (Tech and Spices blog) under Google free blogging platform, Blogger.com and late self-hosted the same domain name, naijatechguide. At later on, he drops his free Blogger blog site to continue with the self-hosted naijetechguide.

• NotjustOK – Nigerian Music site that provides you with Downloads of Nigerian & African Songs & Videos of your favorite Artists or singers. This was also created in 2006
There are so many other Nigerian blogs that were created in 2006; some of them that were create under Google free Blogger.com platform had been abandoned by their owners after unsuccessful monetization of the blog with Google AdSense.

Between the year 2007 and 2009, other numerous top ranking Nigeria Blogs sprang up.

Among them are;
• OgbongeBlog created by JIDE OGUNSANYA

• 360nobs created by Noble Igwe

• Naijaloaded created by Makinde Azeez in 2009. It was once a forum but later convert into a blog as a result of hacker’s bad experience.

• Techloy created by Loy Okieze on April 2008. Loy Okieze is a Lagos-born, Lekki-based new media entrepreneur who founded Techloy ( Tech and IT blog) formerly known StartupsNigeria.

Some other notable Nigerians bloggers who started blogging between the year 2006 and 2009 are;

Jason Njoku founder of one of the top Africa Multi-millionaire online iROKO TV; he started with video blogging, posting Nigeria and Africa video across the internet. With the advent of YOUTUBE in Nigeria, he began streamlining those videos and posts them on youtube, after purchasing the videos reseller right. Today, Jason Njoku is founder of multi-millionaire Iroko TV, one of biggest Africa online TV.

Chude Jideonwo, one of the top Nigerian bloggers.
He is a trained lawyer. Chude Jideonwo co-founded y!Naija (a Nigerian youth culture platform) in August 2010. Chude Jideonwo is also the director and founder of RedSTRAT which has three arms; RedSTRAT Original Content, RedSTRAT Communications and the Future Project (The organizers of the prestigious Future Awards).

Japheth Omojuwa, a Nigeria blogger. He began his blog since 2006 and his blog site has since become a home for valuable socio-economic and political expressions.

From the beginning of the year 2010 – till date, there is a sporadic outburst of Nigeria Blogs on the internet. The number skyrocketed on 2011 with emerging of sports blog site and sport betting blog. Some Nigeria sport companies began seeking for professional sport bloggers who can write for them. Nigerian SEOs and internet marketing bloggers also emerge.
Today, there are over hundred thousands of Nigeria blog on web; many competing with one another to be index by Google search engine.

Future of Blogging in Nigeria

What will be the future of Nigerian Blogs? I once saw this written by someone;
“……let’s start by examining the most popular blogs in Nigeria. They more often than not have to do with entertainment, gossip and controversy. These are the blogs that business tycoons are begging to carry their ads and all. Any chap or lady wanting to make some extra cash on the side would naturally be drawn to this. It takes more connections and being up to date with people’s life than it takes brain power. So see why the mad rush there.
…..everybody looks for that example that they can model themselves after. Or we can put it this way, when people see how successful you are at a novel idea, and then all the copycats begin to roll out. Sometimes, the student becomes better than the teacher. That is the case with the blogging, entertainment and fashion world in Nigeria right now. Then again could it be that the noise coming from the entertainment arena in Nigeria is too loud that others can see the spectacular things being done with blogs. All the tech blogs, foodie blogs, political blogs etc, that have sprang up and created employment for Nigerians cannot go unnoticed.
If you ask me, I don’t believe there is anything wrong with trying to model yourself after a successful blogger. I believe it is a noble thing if you want to blog your way to owning a car. At least is it is better than sitting around hoping to have a piece of the national chin chin”.

I can say for sure that Nigerian bloggers are doing well. Don’t mind those who are copycats, they wouldn’t get too far with that. Google is already dealing with them.

Blogging in Nigeria has been fun and entertaining, every niche are gradually being exploited and conquered. Trust Nigerians, we always knows how to do it better. We need not go to abroad to study blogging.

Quality and originality are what is needed and I bet you, many Nigerian bloggers have beginning to realize that. The blogging future of  Nigeria is bright for those who will be willing to work hard.

Now, what are your views about blogging in Nigeria? You can share it now. Let’s hear your own opinion. Are they any Nigerian top blogger that I have not mentioned here? Let’s know him or her.