E-Business
6 Ways to Overcome Social Media Anxiety Disorder
By Gideon Ayogu
Ever felt jealousy or discontentment due to the seemingly higher standards or jet-set lifestyle of other people on social media? You are probably suffering from Social Media Anxiety Disorder (SMAD), a condition described by the Research and Development Unit of Yudala –Nigeria’s pioneer online and offline e-commerce outfit – as one afflicting a growing number of young adults.
If you are on social media in any capacity, then you probably must have experienced SMAD, especially after being exposed to what other persons in your social network are up to.
According to Yudala, social media anxiety disorder is related to social anxiety, a mental illness which occurs when social media interferes with the mental and physical health of a person, causing one to feeling adequate, jealous, incompetent and unsatisfied. Admittedly, seeing a certain standard on social media can make anyone anxious. This feeling is referred to as social media anxiety.
Social media has grown in importance and today, plays a greater role in our daily lives. Indeed, the majority of people rely on their social media networks for a number of things including lifestyle habits, trends and social validation.
Unfortunately, we are in a world where everybody tries to put their best image forward online and, as humans, we tend to compare ourselves to the sometimes make-believe representation of others.
While social media is auseful way of connecting with people and a remarkable way of bridging the gap between lonelinessand companionship with just a click; it is important to exercise caution.
All that glitters is not gold. This age-long saying holds true especially on social media where a lot of people are guilty of excess show of materialism and flaunting fake lifestyles or standards, leaving the lead to feelings of loneliness, social anxiety and depression.
Yudala shares tips on how to cope withsocial media anxiety:
Admit the problem
Social Media Anxiety Disorder can be difficult to treat, considering the emphasis on social media networking as a model of success, especially in business.
The first step in treating social media anxiety is to identify the problem, admit it, understand it and try to solve it. Be honest about your social media usage and manage what you put on social media; avoid putting self-sabotaging comments of yourself in the hope of getting positive response to build your self-esteem.
Stop Comparing Yourself
Constant visits to social media platforms can make you feel like you haven’t accomplished a lot especially when you see the make-believe lifestyle of your social network.
Humans are insatiable and comparing yourself is inevitable but always try to do you as opposed to studying others.
The most important thing is to look back on your journey and compare with your current state; this will make you feel good about how far you’ve come because there will always be someone out there who is better than you.
Socialize More In Real Life
Nowadays, people are so addicted to social media that they focus more on holding their phones than talking and sharing their thoughts in person. But when your social media friends aren’t as responsive as normal, you may become anxious and start to feel lonely and that’s when social media anxiety sets in.
It is important to strengthen your real-life relationships because your social media friends won’t be there to make lemonades for you when life hands you lemons.
Take A Break
It is okay to take a social media break especially when you realize you are battling social media anxiety. Often, it is advisable to disengage from your social media platforms. Setting a specific social media time limit for yourself daily or weekly can be very helpful.
By doing this, you can then gradually shut off from it completely until you feel comfortable. While this may not be easy initially because of the attachment you may have,you will find an alternative way to keep yourself occupied over time.
Embrace Some Alone-Time
Having a quiet and relaxing time by yourself doesn’t mean you’re a loner or a sad person. Being lonely is different from wanting to be alone which can actually be quite healthy. Going for a walk and being by yourself sometimes, with no distraction from your mobile phone or social media, actually gives you the chance to clear your mind, focus and think more clearly.
Focus on your Passion
We all know social media can be distracting. What starts as a check in on Facebook or Instagram can all of a sudden turn to a 2- 3-hour waste of time. Instead of that, you can develop your hobbies.
Find something you are really passionate about and focus on them, rather than spending time on social media and thinking someone else is doing better than you. This may even help give you a sense of direction and fulfillment.
Gideon Ayogu, head, Corporate Communications at Yudala
Jumia Nigeria has reaffirmed its role as one of the leading forces driving the adoption of e-commerce in Nigeria, saying sustained investment in consumer trust, local logistics and digital infrastructure has helped expand online shopping while laying the foundation for Africa’s broader digital commerce ecosystem.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the AfCFTA Digital Trade Forum 2026, the Chief Executive Officer of Jumia Nigeria, Temidayo Ojo, said the company’s experience over the years shows that building consumer confidence remains the single most important factor in accelerating e-commerce adoption across the continent.
According to him, while millions of Nigerians have embraced online shopping, significant opportunities still exist to bring many more consumers into the digital marketplace through stronger consumer protection, seamless payment systems and supportive public policies.
Ojo noted that Jumia’s growth has mirrored the increasing acceptance of e-commerce in Nigeria, with the company consistently investing in technologies, logistics capabilities and customer experience initiatives that have made online shopping more accessible, convenient and reliable for consumers.
He explained that one of the biggest challenges facing digital commerce remains consumer trust, particularly among first-time online shoppers who are unable to physically inspect products before making purchases. To address this, Jumia has continuously strengthened its customer experience through reliable delivery, transparent order tracking, quality assurance and responsive dispute resolution processes that encourage repeat purchases and long-term confidence in online retail.
“Trust is the currency of digital commerce,” Ojo said, adding that stronger consumer protection frameworks across African markets would further accelerate the growth of the sector by giving consumers greater confidence whenever issues such as payment disputes, delayed deliveries or product quality concerns arise.
Beyond consumer confidence, Ojo identified fragmented payment systems as one of the major obstacles limiting intra-African digital trade. Despite significant innovation within Africa’s fintech ecosystem, varying regulations and limited interoperability continue to make cross-border transactions more complex than necessary.
He called for greater harmonisation of payment frameworks across the continent, noting that seamless digital payments would make it easier for businesses to scale beyond their domestic markets while allowing consumers to transact effortlessly across borders.
Ojo also emphasised the importance of stronger collaboration between governments and the private sector in creating an enabling environment for digital businesses. According to him, coordinated policies and regulatory certainty would accelerate investment, encourage innovation and strengthen confidence in Africa’s digital economy.
As one of Africa’s largest e-commerce platforms, Jumia sees regional integration as a significant growth opportunity. The company already connects tens of thousands of merchants with consumers across several African markets and believes improved cross-border trade policies would enable many more local businesses to reach new customers beyond their national boundaries.
Such integration, he said, has the potential to unlock access to a combined consumer market of more than 500 million people, creating new opportunities for African enterprises to trade with one another and strengthen the continent’s digital economy.
He added that while many first-time shoppers initially prefer cash-on-delivery because of perceived risks, their confidence in digital payments increases significantly after experiencing reliable service, quality products and efficient deliveries.
According to Ojo, Jumia’s journey reflects the broader evolution of e-commerce in Nigeria, one driven by sustained investments in trust, technology and local partnerships. He maintained that with stronger consumer protection, harmonised regulations and deeper collaboration between governments and the private sector, Africa is well positioned to unlock the next phase of digital commerce growth.
Africa’s leading technology distributor Powerhouse, TD Africa, has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing cybersecurity awareness and digital resilience by sponsoring the 3rd Annual Secure 360 Summit Nigeria 2026, hosted by global cybersecurity leader Check Point Software Technologies, as Gold Sponsor.
Chioma Chimere, Coordinating Managing Director, TD Africa
This year’s summit was held in Abuja and Lagos, bringing together key stakeholders from across Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.
Now in its third edition, the Secure 360 Summit has evolved into one of Nigeria’s premier cybersecurity forums, bringing together Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), Chief Information Officers (CIOs), IT Directors, and senior technology leaders from the financial services, telecommunications, enterprise, energy, and public sectors to address today’s rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
Speaking on the significance of the summit, Kingsley Oseghale, Country Manager, Check Point Nigeria, emphasized the need for stronger collaboration in tackling emerging cyber risks. “Cybersecurity has become a business priority rather than just an IT concern.
“Through the Secure 360 Summit, we continue to provide a platform for industry leaders to exchange insights, strengthen partnerships, and explore innovative approaches to securing today’s digital economy.
“We are pleased to have TD Africa as a valued partner in driving cybersecurity awareness across Nigeria.”
In her remarks, Chioma Chimere, Coordinating Managing Director, TD Africa, applauded Check Point for creating a platform that addresses one of the most critical challenges facing businesses and individuals. “Cybersecurity is everyone’s business. We owe it to ourselves, our organisations, and our communities to remain security-conscious in an increasingly connected world.
“At TD Africa, innovation drives everything we do, and innovation can only thrive in a secure environment.
“This is why we are proud to support initiatives like the Secure 360 Summit that promote knowledge sharing and strengthen our collective cyber resilience.”
The summit featured expert-led sessions on emerging cyber threats, artificial intelligence, cloud security, ransomware, and strategies for building resilient digital infrastructures, equipping participants with practical insights to navigate today’s cybersecurity landscape.
Through its continued partnership with global technology leaders like Check Point, TD Africa remains committed to empowering businesses across Africa with world-class cybersecurity solutions, fostering industry collaboration, and driving the continent’s secure digital transformation.
President Bola Tinubu has directed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure that every Nigerian is enrolled in the national identity database before the end of 2026, according to Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general and chief executive officer of the agency.
Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general and chief executive officer, NIMC
Coker-Odusote, who appeared on Channels Television, said the directive forms part of the federal government’s efforts to establish a comprehensive national identity system capable of supporting effective governance, planning, and service delivery.
“The President has given us till the end of this year to make sure that we capture every single Nigerian,” she said.
According to her, NIMC is working with partners under the World Bank-supported Identification for Development (ID4D) project to accelerate nationwide enrolment.
“What we have done is we have partnered through the World Bank ID4D project with front-end partners. They are part of the digital identity ecosystem. These are private citizens that we’ve enabled and given jobs to enrol citizens on our behalf,” she explained.
She stressed that the National Identification Number (NIN) remains a unique identifier, ensuring that every individual is registered only once.
“That’s why it’s called a unique identifier, so that you’re only enrolled once,” the NIMC DG added.
Coker-Odusote said Nigeria’s actual population remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from 200 million to 250 million, making a comprehensive identity database essential for national planning.
“It is estimated that we’re 200 million. When we’re done enrolling, we will then know the actual numbers that we have. Some estimates say 230 million, while a few people say 250 million.
“Your identity is basically the foundation for effective governance and service delivery. How can you plan if you don’t know the total number of persons that you have? We have been mandated by Mr President to go down to the community levels to enrol every single Nigerian”, she said.
Responding to concerns about whether an individual could obtain multiple identities by registering in different locations or under different names, the NIMC boss said the commission’s biometric verification system prevents such occurrences.
She explained that while the previous system could accept duplicate enrolments before detecting them later, the current process automatically identifies and invalidates multiple registrations.
“The legacy system had no way of verifying at the front end whether you had already been captured. Once the record comes into the system, it flags it as a duplicate or that the person already exists in the database.
“You would only have one identity generated for you. The other record goes into a deduplication bucket where it is invalidated,” she said.
The NIMC DG added that biometric verification, including fingerprints and facial recognition, makes it virtually impossible for one person to maintain multiple identities.
“Absolutely. One of the things that this Act has done is to cement our role in capturing biometrics. Private and public sector organisations will no longer capture biometrics independently. They will validate identities through API integration with NIMC.
“The telcos are already doing that with us. If you need a SIM card, they capture your facial biometrics, which are matched against our database in real time to confirm that you are who you claim to be. We’re using biometric validation to tighten security around identity confirmation,” she said.
The remarks come weeks after Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law on June 26, repealing the 2007 legislation.
The new law reinforces the “One Person, One Identity” policy by making the NIN the country’s foundational identity credential for accessing government and essential private services, including banking, passport applications, tax administration, pensions, land transactions, and consumer credit.
It also introduces stiffer penalties for identity theft, multiple registrations and unauthorised access to personal identity data, while strengthening data privacy protections and granting NIMC wider powers to investigate identity-related offences.
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