Koo app in Nigeria 2 months after Buhari suspended Twitter

An Indian microblogging and social networking app, Koo, was on Tuesday launched in Nigeria to deepen online expression, thoughts and ideas among people.

Mr Aprameya Radhakrishna, co-founder of Koo, made this known during a virtual press briefing organised to announce the launch of the app in Nigeria.

Radhakrishna said that the platform was aimed at enabling Nigerians to express themselves in the digital space.

"We are delighted to have an opportunity to launch in Nigeria because of its rich cultural diversity," he said.

According to Radhakrishna, Koo will soon be available in multiple local languages, including Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and Pidgin English.

He said although Nigeria was an English-speaking country, the Koo felt it was important for the people to be able to communicate in their local language in the digital space which will further enrich the local culture of Nigeria.

Radhakrishna said that Koo's primary goal was freedom of expression, describing it as a platform that supports and promotes language diversity, whilst offering users a safe space for respectful and meaningful conversations.

"Koo was launched in 2020 and it allows users to share personal updates and opinions across numerous topics of interest in 400 characters.

"The microblogging app has since amassed a user base of over seven million people since its launch, with seven Indian languages as well as English currently available on the platform in India.

"This has enabled more non-English-speaking Indians to participate in the online dialogue," he said.

He said, "When we launched Koo, our aim was to give users a platform where opinions can be expressed freely irrespective of the languages one knows."

Radhakrishna said the organisation wanted users to be able to interact in the language of their choice with some of the most incisive minds on the internet, while keeping engagement respectful and harmonious.

"Users can engage in conversations across multiple topics using some of our varied features, including hashtags, a rich 400-character limit, dedicated buttons to share posts across other social media platforms, among several others."

Radhakrishna noted that while working with Nigerian people, Koo has been able to appreciate the historical and cultural nuances of the country.

"We would encourage a positive attitude on the platform, making us partners in progress.

"A few months ago, Koo announced the magic 'Talk-to-Type' feature. This feature enables people who want to share their thoughts on the platform to do so easily without having to type.

"They can speak out loud and the words will show up 'magically' on the screen all at the click of a button and without using a keyboard.

"This feature is available in all the languages that Koo offers, apart from English," Radhakrishna said.