Buhari, Phyno, Messi… See the most googled people in Nigeria since 2008

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, Lionel Messi, and Phyno are among the most searched for people in Nigeria since 2008 — according to Google, the world’s number one search engine.

The technology company said this in a statement marking its 20th anniversary.

Others on the list include Ayo ‘Wizkid’ Balogun, Nigerian Afropop star, Linda Ikeji, celebrity blogger, and American rapper Nicki Minaj.

According to the statement, while technology has changed, “people’s tastes have remained largely consistent over the past decade”.

Google was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin with the aim of organising the world’s information to make it universally accessible.

“The Search Index now contains hundreds of billions of webpages and is well over 100 000 000 gigabytes in size,” the statement read.

“It is, by some distance, the world’s number one search engine. This is, in no small part, thanks to its efforts to ensure that users can instantly access information that is contextually relevant to them and their surroundings.

“From humble origins in a Stanford University computer lab, Search has evolved to become a vital part of most people’s lives. People use it for everything ‒ from looking at the weather to plan their outfit the next day, to searching for life-saving procedures in the middle of a medical emergency.

“And yet, even though technology has changed, people’s tastes have remained largely consistent over the past decade. Just consider the most searched for people on Google in Nigeria since 2008 with many of them still relevant today.

“Linda Ikeji, Wizkid, Olamide, Muhammadu Buhari, Davido, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Phyno.”

According to the statement, Google has over the years evolved by making new additions to its services for improved search experience.

Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, Google Nigeria country manager, said the search engine has been relevant across various fields, describing it as a
“crucial social and economic tool”.

“Search is a very different product from what it was in 1998Far from simply being a way to find information, it has become a crucial social and economic tool,” Ehimuan-Chiazor said.

“This is especially true in Africa, where it has proven invaluable in helping people find jobs, start businesses, and even save money.

“Looking forward, there’s little doubt that the evolution of Search over the next 20 years will be as dramatic as the past 20.

“And, with an online population of 103 million, there’s every chance that Nigeria will be at the forefront of that evolution”