Popular Nigerian actress, filmmaker, and fashion icon Mercy Aigbe has sparked reactions online after losing nearly 500,000 Instagram followers in a sudden drop.
The award-winning star, known for her powerhouse performances in Yoruba films and Nollywood blockbusters, took to her verified Instagram account to vent her frustration.
“From 11.6 to 11.1 million followers at this point Instagram I don’t understand again oh. Meanwhile I have kuku being stuck on that 11.6 for 3 years now. Now Una don commot 500,” she wrote, accompanied by crying emojis.
The post has generated massive engagement, with fans expressing solidarity and sharing their own experiences with follower fluctuations.
This development is part of Instagram’s ongoing 2026 global bot purge by Meta, aimed at removing fake, inactive, and bot accounts to promote authenticity on the platform. The cleanup has affected millions of users worldwide.
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Nigeria’s Big 3: Davido, Wizkid, and Burna Boy, were also impacted. Reports indicate Davido lost around 1.5 million followers, Wizkid approximately 1.1 million, and Burna Boy about 750,000. Other Nigerian stars like Tiwa Savage also saw notable declines.
Other high-profile celebrities who have also lost substantial followers include Cristiano Ronaldo (who reportedly lost millions of followers), Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, and Beyoncé. Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and Indian stars like Virat Kohli have similarly been impacted.
While some influencers worry about the sudden dips, many applaud the move as a necessary step toward genuine engagement metrics.
