Is There Misogyny Among Nigerian Men on Twitter?

On Nigerian Twitter now known as X a rising number of young men have built their identities, content, and online presence around tearing women down.

They're often referred to as incels, short for "involuntarily celibate" a term originally coined in 1997 by a woman named Alana, who created an online space intended to support both men and women struggling with romantic relationships. Her goal was healing, but the term eventually evolved particularly among men online into a global digital subculture fueled by misogyny, entitlement, and hostility toward women.

In Nigeria, this incel mindset has quietly taken root within X's algorithm, often surfacing through so-called "alpha male" discourse. In these conversations, young men position themselves as dominant figures in a sexual hierarchy frequently by demeaning and devaluing women.

All of this is unfolding in a country where a woman is killed every 49 hours. According to data from DOHS Cares Foundation, 88 Nigerian women were killed between January and June 2025 and these figures only account for the reported cases.

What began in 2020 as Patriarchy FC-"just a joke"-has since morphed into something much darker. Today, a core group of male influencers have crowned themselves the captains of this so-called "club," gaining clout by consistently mocking, silencing, and gaslighting women online.

Many of these influencers have amassed thousands of followers, largely through controversial takes that shame feminists, ridicule single mothers, and mock women for asserting sexual autonomy or achieving financial independence all while being cheered on by loyal fan bases.

These influencers and their followers have turned the word feminist into a digital insult. Any woman who speaks up for equity is quickly branded as bitter, ugly, fat, jobless, or simply seeking attention. Even when women raise concerns about their safety or advocate against gender-based violence, they are ridiculed while the men responsible are often excused or defended.

Recently, the toxic masculinity on Nigerian Twitter reached a disturbing low with the case involving well-known philanthropist Asherkine. After he generously gifted a female student, a group of Nigerian Twitter men without any evidence began spreading claims that the girl had dumped or denied her boyfriend because of the gesture.

One anonymous user even used AI to fabricate a photo of the girl with a man whose face was hidden by an emoji. The fake image quickly went viral. In response, the girl had to release a video denying the narrative, and further investigation confirmed that the entire story was completely false. Eventually, the boy who started the rumour publicly apologized.

But by then, the damage was already done. A young woman's name and character had been dragged through the mud, her dignity questioned all for clout, engagement, and cheap laughs. For what? Retweets? A moment of online fame?

What's most alarming isn't just that this behavior exists it's that it's spreading. And the more we brush it off as just Twitter banter, the more emboldened these young men become. We shouldn't need to ask men to "imagine if it were your sister" before they feel empathy. A woman doesn't need to be related to you to deserve safety, dignity, and respect. Full stop.

If you're a man reading this, you have a choice to make: you can either continue feeding into a culture that devalues and endangers women or you can stand up and protect them.

Because the most frightening part isn't just that 88 women have been killed in six months. It's that the next victim may already be targeted and once again, the internet might find a way to blame her instead.