X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, has launched a significant transparency feature that reveals where accounts are based, arriving at a crucial moment for Nigerian users navigating intense online discussions about national security and political developments.
What the New X Feature Offers
The global rollout of 'About This Account' was announced by X executive Nikita Bier on November 24, 2025. This innovative tool allows anyone to see the country or region where an account originates by simply tapping on the profile's sign-up date. Bier described this development as "an important first step to securing the integrity of the global town square."
According to the platform's explanation, users can now tap a profile's join date to instantly see the account's country or region. This enables them to check whether the account's location aligns with its claims. The feature also includes new privacy toggles for users based in regions where speech might attract penalties, acknowledging that in certain countries, revealing a user's region could expose them to risk.
Why This Matters for Nigerian Users
The timing of this update is particularly significant for Nigeria, where online conversations have been heated for weeks. Social media platforms have been filled with viral claims, urgent commentary, and intense debates about violent attacks across the country, with different groups interpreting the situation in conflicting ways.
Adding to the digital tension, former U.S. President Donald Trump recently tagged Nigeria as a 'Country of particular concern' in widely discussed statements. These developments have created an increasingly charged digital environment where distinguishing between truth and misinformation has become critically important.
Nigerian journalist Rukayat Badmus highlighted that X's new transparency tool has landed right at the centre of a global storm, raising important questions for Nigerians navigating truth, propaganda, and identity online.
Potential Benefits and Concerns for Nigerian Users
The new feature offers several potential advantages for Nigerian social media users. It could help expose fake accounts influencing national conversations by allowing users to cross-check whether accounts claiming to post from specific Nigerian locations actually originate from there. This is particularly valuable during heated national moments when anonymous accounts often spread unverified claims, exaggerate numbers, create panic, or impersonate community leaders.
Additionally, the feature provides improved protection against scammers and impersonators who commonly use X for various fraudulent activities in Nigeria, from crypto impersonation to fake humanitarian groups. Knowing a scam account's actual region helps victims detect fraud and makes it harder for bad actors to hide.
However, the system isn't foolproof. The platform acknowledges that location data might be inaccurate for travelers or organizations with staff spread across different countries. Users employing VPNs might show incorrect locations, and old IP addresses could provide outdated information.
More importantly, location doesn't guarantee truth - a Nigerian-based account can still share misinformation, while a foreign-based account might provide accurate information. Bad actors can still bypass the system using VPNs, compromised accounts, or other technical workarounds.
There are also safety concerns for users in sensitive regions. Even with privacy settings, some users might accidentally reveal their location, potentially putting them at risk if they comment on political or religious issues within Nigeria's complex political landscape.
The feature could potentially fuel conspiracy theories if misunderstood, leading to false accusations or targeted harassment based solely on a user's region rather than the content of their messages.
Practical Implications for Nigerian Digital Space
For Nigeria's influential online space, where millions depend on social platforms for news and community updates, this feature represents a meaningful step toward improving digital trust. Nigerian journalists, fact-checkers, and analysts now have a practical tool for verifying sources during national crises and identifying potential foreign interference or coordinated influence campaigns.
While the update won't completely solve misinformation problems, it supports accountability, fact-checking, and safer online engagement. The responsibility ultimately remains with users to check multiple sources, maintain calm during heated debates, and avoid amplifying unverified claims.
As Nigerians continue to navigate one of the most delicate periods in the country's digital discourse, tools like 'About This Account' provide additional resources for filtering noise from truth in an environment where global attention remains focused on the nation's developments.
