Ahead of the February 14 Valentine Day, Google revealed Tuesday that Nigerians topped the search for information and inspiration related to Valentine’s Day on the internet. According to Google, the insights offered a fascinating glimpse into the thoughts and interests of Nigerians related to love, dating, and the special day Valentine. Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Relations Manager, Google, West Africa said this in a statement. He said: “These trends showcase the crucial role search plays in helping Nigerians find answers to their most pressing questions, especially during special occasions such as Valentine’s Day. ‘’ It underscores the importance of search in these exciting moments.” According to the data, Nigeria is currently the top country searching for love in 2023, and it has been the country searching the most for dating apps worldwide since 2004. According to him, the search for “the origin of valentine” has also increased by 200 per cent in the past week. He said that the data also showed that searches for valentine messages for boyfriends rose by 300 per cent in the past week, and valentine hair style rose by 250 per cent over the same period. The Communications Manager said that the best dating app in the world also spiked by 250 per cent, while the origin of valentine rose by 200 per cent.
Meanwhile the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, director- general Gambo Aliyu, said Valentine Day was not about sex and has urged Nigerians to be cautious to avoid sexually transmitted diseases like HIV. He said in a statement that most Nigerian youths have erroneously misconstrue Valentine Day as a day to engage in reckless sexual behaviour. He added people should rather act responsibly to protect their loved ones from harmful diseases.
