The fourth Quarter of 2025 was an eye-opening moment for Eastern Nigeria enthusiasts and speculators. The eastern entertainment scene was buzzing with back-to-back shows pulling thousands of fans out of seemingly nowhere.
Nigerian Pop artist Davido reportedly had 40,000 fans in Enugu for the 5ive tour. Odumodu Blvck and Jeriq pulled similar numbers with their eastern machine tour. Phyno’s homecoming event was a massive success, and new names on the music scene drew crowds nobody had ever known existed.
The moment was an icebreaker for most Nigerians, as nobody had envisaged that eastern Nigeria had such numbers. Artists filling up stadiums is not a common feat, even for cities like Lagos. Yet it’s becoming a tradition in eastern Nigeria, a supposedly tier-two region missing from the global map.
The shocking numbers from eastern Nigeria’s entertainment scene point to an obvious mismatch between how eastern Nigeria is perceived and the actual reality on the ground. This observation has prompted an important question about the data from Eastern Nigeria.
Why does the South East have such a low digital footprint, while the reality on the ground is totally different?
Where is Our Data: Afia TV Holds Panel on Digital Misattribution
Eastern Nigeria-focused media outlet Afia TV hosted an X space titled “Where is our data?” attended by key stakeholders to debate and pontificate on the mismatch between the region’s digital footprint and its actual population.
The topic was divided into three major sections: Economic visibility, National Security, regarding Data sovereignty, and strategic solutions to pursue in the near future.
On economic visibility, the argument remains that the digital misattribution, which credits online activity from the Southeast to Port Harcourt, is costing the region opportunities and distorting the perception of the actual population of Eastern Nigeria.
Addressing the question, Mr Chilaka (Surname not audible), an IT expert, blamed the digital misattribution on a host of factors, including IP geolocation, the absence of data centres in the region, and Internet Service Providers with basic internet exchange points.
Chilaka explained that part of the problem stems from Telcos focusing on major cities when building infrastructure and concentrating their resources there. Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt always take priority over regions like eastern Nigeria.
He believes the problem will be solved when the government creates incentives for Telcos to build infrastructure in parts of Nigeria outside their comfort zone.
Adding to the conversation, Uche Okoye, a Digital Media Executive, noted that the decentralised nature of the eastern region might discomfort Telcos, who often prefer centralised cities for easier operations and logistics.
Okoye drew the public’s attention to how digital misattribution deeply affects the music business in the eastern region. Music streaming data often attributes traffic from the eastern region to other parts of the country. This affects artists with a strong musical base in the eastern region, as their presence on top music streaming platforms like Spotify is severely depleted, costing them top music deals and brand sponsorship.
Okoye reiterated the need for Eastern Nigeria’s footprint to reflect the actual population on the ground to mitigate economic losses stemming from poor visibility.
How the Government and Industry Stakeholders Can Help
The stakeholders agreed that it doesn’t make sense for big telcos to be present in eastern Nigeria, generating significant revenue yet not investing in important infrastructure in the region.
Speaking on this issue, Chilaka stated that the government can enact regulatory laws mandating Telcos to build data centres in their regions of operation or to cease doing business in those regions. This, he believes, will force the hand of big telcos in the eastern region to build basic infrastructure, such as data centres, there, arguing that these companies will not want to leave because they are making a killing in the region.
There is also the question of key stakeholders in the Tech space playing their part by raising awareness on the digital misattribution menace and using their influence in the ecosystem to push for reforms.
On government policies and their role in data sovereignty, Dr Collins Agu, the former Director of the Research and Development (R&D) Department at NITDA, explained that the government cannot really do much given Nigeria’s position in the technology value chain.
Agu explained that Nigeria is still a major consumer of technology and doesn’t own many of the technologies it uses, so the question of sovereignty remains far-fetched. The former NITDA man believes the country is doing okay in terms of technological infrastructure, citing the existence of a Tier 3 Data centre in Enugu.
The Afia Tv X space lasted for two and a half hours, exhausting key talking points on the issue and leading an efficient brainstorming session.
The session and the topic in question reflect the growing optimism and deliberate focus on the eastern region by enthusiasts who want to see it thrive and relive its glory days under the administration of Dr Michael Okpara.
