Nigerians live a communal life and this impacts our choice of what to believe and decision making. As such, despite the enormity of Nigerians using Androids and the internet, many friends, families and social circles will transfer information which will be accepted by the recipients simply because of the bond between them more than the verification of the message.

Just one reported case of a disease that has killed thousands in other countries and a lot of false information have gone round.
COVID-19 is an emerging disease whose identity and level of threat is still being investigated. But some persons in Nigeria, whom have not recorded any case of an infected Nigerian, talk more of a survivor, have derived joy in spreading a false rumor that our blood is immune to this disease. Different products have been rumored to make people immune to the corona virus disease; local cherries (agbalumo), ginger and garlic, pepper, disinfectants etc. and people are buying into this. I still remember 2014, while the devastating Ebola epidemic ravaged parts of West Africa, some individuals in this part of the world were promoting all manner of practices including eating 'Ewedu' as a preventative treatment for Ebola. LOL! How did we get here my people?

COVID-19 has had impact on a foreign trades and businesses in various countries especially China, having recorded thousands of cases. It's impact on Nigerian businesses should a similar case become applicable will however be worse with our level of misinformation.
Currently, even products that had earlier been imported from China are not trusted anymore, affecting trade which had been cleared before the emergence of corona virus in Nigeria. Even when many refutations have been made, many still hold on to the current outbreak that it would take long to trust and patronise such local businesses again.

A friend of mine calls it love; ''we do not want to loose our loved ones and so we tell them all we have heard ''. And then I ask why this 'love' doesn't translate equally to how we treat one another. While nations are seeking innovative sustainable ways of handling the present problem, Nigerians are seeking ways to handle their pocket at the risk of everyone else including their so called 'loved ones'. The few protective items we will be needing have had their prices hiked with everyone in Nigeria now manufacturing hand sanitizers and nose masks (forgive me for that gross assumption).

I will draw the curtain here. But while Nigeria works on preventing this disease, there is an need to address the information management in Nigeria, not just on the corona virus but generally. Our people need 'to know'.


Reference:
Quartz Africa: Yomi Kazeem,  February 28th 2020;  Nigeria's biggest battle with Corona virus will be beating Misinformation . https://qz.com/africa