Project – TikTok Political Content and Political Awareness among University Students: A Study of Students of the University of Lagos, Akoka

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Political awareness is an important component of democratic citizenship because citizens require adequate knowledge of political institutions, public policies, political actors, elections and current affairs before they can meaningfully participate in the political process. Political awareness involves the extent to which individuals understand political events, recognise political actors and institutions, follow public affairs, and possess information that enables them to form informed opinions about government and society. Delli Carpini and Keeter (1996) argue that political knowledge is central to effective democratic citizenship because citizens who possess political information are better positioned to evaluate political choices and participate meaningfully in public affairs.

For many years, traditional mass media such as newspapers, radio and television served as major channels through which citizens obtained political information. However, the development of the Internet and social media has significantly transformed the production, distribution and consumption of political information. Social networking platforms have reduced the traditional barriers between political actors, journalists and citizens by allowing users to create, share, comment on and circulate information. Loader, Vromen and Xenos (2014) describe young people as an important constituency within this changing political communication environment because digital media have created new opportunities for political expression, networking and civic engagement.

The emergence of social media has particularly changed the political communication environment in Nigeria. Platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube and TikTok provide citizens with opportunities to obtain political information outside conventional news organisations. Nigerian youths increasingly encounter political information through digital platforms, where political issues may be presented through short videos, photographs, memes, commentaries, livestreams and user-generated content. Egbunike (2020), in a review of research on social media and Nigerian youth political participation, observed that social media had become an important area of political communication research in Nigeria, although the existing literature had relatively limited platform-specific and theoretically grounded studies.

The political relevance of social media became particularly visible during Nigerian elections and periods of political mobilisation. Okoro and Nwafor (2013), examining social media use during the 2011 Nigerian general elections, found that social media provided opportunities for citizens to contribute to political discourse, although the platforms were also associated with the circulation of rumours, hate messages and other problematic information. Their findings demonstrate the dual character of social media as both a source of political engagement and a possible channel for misleading or harmful political communication.

Subsequent Nigerian research has continued to demonstrate the importance of social media in youth political engagement. Mustapha and Omar (2020), in their study of Nigerian youths during the 2019 general elections, found that youths were more active in online political participation than in offline political activities. Their findings suggest that social media have created new forms of political engagement that may not necessarily correspond directly with traditional forms of political participation. This distinction is important because political awareness may develop through exposure to political information even when the individual does not engage in conventional political activities such as attending political meetings or joining political parties.

University students represent a particularly important group for studying political awareness and digital political communication. Students are generally exposed to diverse ideas through formal education, peer interaction, news media and digital platforms. University environments also bring together young adults from different social, ethnic, geographical and political backgrounds. Consequently, students may encounter political information from a wide range of sources and may engage in political discussions both online and offline. A study of University of Ibadan students by Olorunnisola and Adeyemi (2018) found a significant relationship between patterns of social media exposure and students’ participation during the 2015 Nigerian political campaigns. The study demonstrates the importance of examining social media use within university populations rather than treating young people as a single homogeneous group.

The emergence of TikTok has added a new dimension to digital political communication. Originally recognised largely for short-form entertainment videos, TikTok has developed into a major platform through which users encounter information about social issues, public affairs, elections and political actors. Its short-video format allows complex political issues to be presented through brief explanations, commentary, satire, comedy, music, visual effects and personal narratives. Literat and Kligler-Vilenchik (2023) argue that TikTok has become an important space for youth political expression because of its centrality in young people’s everyday media experiences and its capacity to facilitate creative forms of political communication and activism.

TikTok’s significance for political communication is also connected to its algorithmic structure. Unlike traditional media, where editors and broadcasters determine much of what audiences receive, TikTok’s recommendation system personalises the content displayed to individual users. Consequently, political content may reach users who did not deliberately search for political information. A student watching entertainment, comedy or lifestyle videos may subsequently encounter political commentary, campaign messages, government-related information, political satire or election-related content. This characteristic makes TikTok particularly relevant to the study of political awareness because political exposure may occur incidentally rather than solely through deliberate political information seeking.

The format of TikTok political content can also influence how political information is understood. Political actors, journalists, influencers, activists and ordinary users may simplify complicated political issues into short videos that are easier to consume and share. Such content may increase accessibility to political information, especially among young people who may not regularly read newspapers or watch conventional television news. Hindarto (2022), in a systematic review of research on TikTok and youth political communication, found growing scholarly interest in the platform’s capacity to attract young people to political issues and practices.

However, the accessibility and popularity of TikTok political content do not automatically guarantee political awareness. Political information encountered on TikTok may vary substantially in quality, accuracy, completeness and objectivity. Some content may be based on verified information from credible sources, while other content may contain personal opinions, propaganda, manipulated information, rumours or misleading interpretations. Okoro and Nwafor (2013) had earlier identified the problem of misinformation and harmful political communication on social media in Nigeria. This concern has become even more significant as political communication has moved towards algorithmically curated short-form video environments.

Recent research on TikTok and elections reinforces the need to examine both the opportunities and risks associated with the platform. Giuranno (2026), reviewing 140 studies published between 2021 and 2025, reports that TikTok’s algorithmic environment can increase young people’s exposure to political messaging while also creating conditions in which sensational political content and misinformation may gain visibility. The review therefore presents TikTok as a rapidly developing political communication environment whose influence requires closer empirical examination.

The relationship between TikTok exposure and political awareness has also received empirical attention outside Nigeria. Calderon, Tabladillo and Galeon (2025), studying university students in the Philippines, found that exposure to political promotion on TikTok had a significant positive relationship with students’ political knowledge, political attitudes and political behaviour. Their findings suggest that TikTok exposure can have cognitive as well as attitudinal and behavioural implications. However, the Philippine context differs from Nigeria in terms of political institutions, media environment, electoral practices and sociocultural conditions. Consequently, the findings cannot simply be generalised to Nigerian university students.

Similarly, Moffett and Rice (2024) examined TikTok and civic activity among young adults and found that political expression on TikTok was associated with higher levels of offline civic engagement. Their study is significant because it challenges the assumption that social media activity is necessarily detached from conventional civic life. Instead, digital political expression may become part of broader processes through which young people develop political identities and participate in civic affairs.

Nevertheless, research findings on social media and political awareness are not uniformly positive. Social media may expose users to a greater quantity of political information without necessarily increasing the quality of their political knowledge. The speed with which content is produced and circulated may encourage users to consume information without carefully verifying its accuracy. Political communication may also be shaped by emotional appeals, sensational headlines, partisan framing and humorous presentations. In such circumstances, frequent exposure to political content could create political awareness in terms of familiarity with political issues while simultaneously producing inaccurate or distorted understandings of those issues.

Another important consideration is the distinction between exposure and awareness. Exposure refers to the extent to which students encounter or consume political content, whereas political awareness concerns what students actually know or understand as a result of such exposure. A student may watch several political videos every day without being able to distinguish factual information from misinformation. Conversely, another student may encounter fewer political videos but deliberately verify information and develop a stronger understanding of political issues. Therefore, the relationship between TikTok political content and political awareness cannot be determined merely by measuring how often students use TikTok.

The Nigerian political environment provides an important context for this investigation. Nigerian youths have increasingly become visible in online political discourse, particularly during elections, protests and debates concerning governance and public policy. Social media platforms have provided avenues for young Nigerians to express political opinions, discuss public issues, follow political actors and mobilise around causes. Mustapha and Omar (2020) found that Nigerian youths demonstrated considerable online political activity during the 2019 general elections, while Egbunike (2020) noted that Nigerian scholarship had increasingly recognised social media as an important environment for youth political participation.

TikTok, however, deserves separate attention because much of the earlier Nigerian literature concentrated on social media generally or on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter/X. Studies of Nigerian youth political communication have therefore not fully explained how TikTok-specific features, including short-form videos, algorithmic recommendations, comments, sharing, trends, hashtags, duets and creator-driven content, may shape political awareness. This creates an important research gap. A study that focuses specifically on TikTok can provide more precise evidence than studies that combine several social media platforms into a single measure of social media use.

The University of Lagos, Akoka, provides a relevant setting for examining this issue. As a major Nigerian university located in Lagos, it provides a diverse student population exposed to an environment characterised by intensive media use, political discussion and interaction with national and international developments. Students may use TikTok for entertainment, education, social interaction and information, meaning that political content may form part of their broader everyday digital experiences. Studying students of the University of Lagos can therefore provide useful evidence about how a major digital platform relates to political awareness among educated Nigerian youths.

The issue is particularly important because university students represent an emerging generation of citizens who will participate in Nigeria’s future political and democratic processes. Their political awareness may influence how they interpret election campaigns, assess political candidates, understand public policies, evaluate political claims and engage with political institutions. If TikTok contributes positively to political awareness, it could serve as an important avenue for civic education and political communication. Conversely, if students are frequently exposed to misinformation, propaganda or highly polarised content, the platform could complicate rather than strengthen informed political understanding.

The study is therefore premised on the need to examine the actual relationship between TikTok political content and political awareness rather than assuming that social media exposure is automatically beneficial or harmful. It seeks to determine the extent to which students encounter political content on TikTok, the forms of political content they consume, and whether such exposure is associated with their understanding of political institutions, elections, political actors, public policies and current political affairs.

Consequently, this study, titled “TikTok Political Content and Political Awareness among University Students: A Study of Students of the University of Lagos, Akoka,” seeks to contribute to the growing body of research on digital political communication by providing institution-specific evidence on TikTok use and political awareness among university students in Nigeria.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Political awareness is essential to the effective functioning of democratic societies because citizens need adequate information to understand political processes, evaluate competing political claims and make informed decisions. In Nigeria, however, political information is increasingly encountered through social media platforms where professionally produced news, citizen-generated content, political campaigns, personal opinions, satire and misinformation exist side by side. This development raises questions about whether increased access to political content actually produces better-informed citizens.

The rapid growth of TikTok has intensified this concern because political information can now be presented through short and highly engaging videos. Unlike traditional political communication, which may require audiences to deliberately watch a news programme, read a newspaper or visit a news website, TikTok can place political content directly within a user’s personalised feed. Consequently, university students may be exposed to political information without intentionally seeking it. While such incidental exposure could increase political awareness, it may also expose students to political claims that have not been adequately verified.

A major problem is the difficulty of distinguishing between political awareness and mere exposure to political content. Students may watch, like, comment on or share political videos without necessarily understanding the political issues discussed. Political videos may simplify complex policy questions, emphasise personalities rather than issues, or present partisan interpretations as facts. Therefore, high frequency of TikTok use cannot automatically be interpreted as evidence of high political awareness.

Another problem concerns misinformation and political propaganda. Social media users can create and circulate political content without undergoing the editorial scrutiny associated with traditional news organisations. Earlier Nigerian research by Okoro and Nwafor (2013) demonstrated that social media could facilitate political discourse while simultaneously enabling rumours, false information and inciting messages. The contemporary TikTok environment may reproduce these challenges through short videos that can be rapidly viewed, copied, edited and redistributed.

The problem is further complicated by algorithmic personalisation. TikTok’s recommendation system determines much of the content users encounter, meaning that two students using the same platform may receive substantially different political information. Students who interact repeatedly with a particular political viewpoint may encounter more content reflecting that viewpoint. This could reinforce existing political preferences and reduce exposure to alternative perspectives. Recent research has consequently raised concerns about the role of algorithms in increasing exposure to sensational political content and shaping the political information environment.

Political awareness among university students is also important because students are part of Nigeria’s youthful population and represent future voters, professionals, civic leaders and political actors. If TikTok provides reliable political information, it may complement formal education and traditional media by making political information more accessible and engaging. However, if political content is predominantly characterised by misinformation, personality-driven politics, propaganda or polarising messages, students may develop incomplete or inaccurate perceptions of political realities.

Existing Nigerian research has established a relationship between social media and political participation among young people, but significant gaps remain. For example, Mustapha and Omar (2020) examined social media use and youth political participation during the 2019 Nigerian general elections, while Olorunnisola and Adeyemi (2018) examined social media use among University of Ibadan students during the 2015 political campaigns. These studies are valuable, but they largely address social media generally and political participation rather than specifically examining TikTok political content and political awareness.

There is therefore insufficient institution-specific evidence concerning how TikTok political content relates to political awareness among students of the University of Lagos, Akoka. Although students may frequently use TikTok and encounter political content on the platform, it remains necessary to determine whether such exposure is associated with meaningful awareness of Nigerian political institutions, elections, political actors, government policies and current affairs.

Furthermore, most existing TikTok-specific empirical studies identified in the literature have been conducted outside Nigeria. For example, Calderon et al. (2025) examined Filipino university students, while Moffett and Rice (2024) studied young adults in the United States. Their findings provide useful evidence about TikTok and political engagement, but political communication environments differ across countries.

The lack of sufficient Nigerian evidence creates a contextual research gap. Findings from other countries cannot automatically explain the experiences of students at the University of Lagos because Nigerian political communication is influenced by distinctive social, cultural, institutional and electoral conditions. There is consequently a need for empirical research that examines TikTok political content within the Nigerian university environment.

Another problem is that political awareness is sometimes treated as an assumed outcome of social media use. Such an assumption overlooks differences in students’ frequency of use, type of content consumed, level of interaction, ability to evaluate information and motivation for using TikTok. Some students may use TikTok primarily for entertainment and encounter little political content, while others may deliberately follow political influencers, politicians, journalists or activists. These differences make it necessary to examine TikTok political content systematically rather than treating all users as equally exposed.

The problem, therefore, is not simply whether students use TikTok, but whether and how the political content they encounter on TikTok contributes to their political awareness. It is also necessary to establish whether exposure to such content enhances students’ understanding of political institutions, electoral processes, political actors and public issues or whether the platform creates an information environment in which misinformation, sensationalism and partisan content may undermine informed political understanding.

It is against this background that this study investigates TikTok Political Content and Political Awareness among University Students, with specific reference to students of the University of Lagos, Akoka. The study seeks to provide empirical evidence that can contribute to understanding the changing nature of political communication among Nigerian university students.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between TikTok political content and political awareness among students of the University of Lagos, Akoka.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. determine the extent to which students of the University of Lagos are exposed to political content on TikTok;
2. identify the major types of political content encountered by students on TikTok;
3. assess the level of political awareness among students of the University of Lagos;
4. examine the relationship between exposure to TikTok political content and students’ awareness of political issues

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. To what extent are students of the University of Lagos exposed to political content on TikTok?
2. What types of political content do students of the University of Lagos commonly encounter on TikTok?
3. What is the level of political awareness among students of the University of Lagos?
4. What relationship exists between exposure to TikTok political content and students’ political awareness?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no significant relationship between exposure to TikTok political content and political awareness among students of the University of Lagos, Akoka.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to university students because it will help them understand the opportunities and challenges associated with obtaining political information from TikTok. The findings may encourage students to evaluate political content critically and verify information before accepting or sharing it.

The study will also be useful to lecturers and university educators. Findings may provide evidence that can support discussions on digital literacy, media literacy, civic education and responsible social media use. Since students increasingly encounter information through digital platforms, understanding how these platforms influence political awareness can help educators promote critical evaluation of online information.

The study will be relevant to political actors and political communication practitioners. Understanding the extent to which students encounter and respond to political content on TikTok may assist political communicators in developing more effective and responsible approaches to communicating with young voters. The findings may also draw attention to the importance of factual and issue-based political communication.

Government institutions and electoral bodies may benefit from the study because the findings could provide insight into how young citizens obtain political information through digital platforms. Such information may be useful in designing civic education and voter-information programmes that utilise platforms frequently accessed by young people.

The study will also be useful to media organisations and journalists. It may demonstrate the need for credible political information to be made available in formats that are accessible to younger audiences. Professional media organisations may benefit from understanding how short-form video platforms compete with traditional media as sources of political information.

Researchers in mass communication, political science, sociology and related disciplines will find the study useful as a contribution to the literature on digital political communication. In particular, it may provide a foundation for subsequent research on TikTok, political awareness, political participation, misinformation and youth political behaviour in Nigeria.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on TikTok political content and political awareness among students of the University of Lagos, Akoka.

The geographical scope is limited to the University of Lagos main campus at Akoka, Lagos State. The study focuses on students enrolled in the university and does not cover lecturers, administrative staff or members of the general public.

The content scope covers students’ exposure to political videos, political commentary, election-related content, political campaigns, information about political actors, government policies, political issues, civic issues and political discussions encountered on TikTok.

The study’s dependent variable is political awareness, measured in terms of students’ knowledge and understanding of political institutions, political actors, elections, government policies, current political issues and civic affairs. The independent variable is TikTok political content, considered in terms of exposure, frequency of consumption, forms of content encountered and engagement with political content.

The study does not attempt to establish that TikTok is the only source of students’ political awareness. Students may obtain political information from television, radio, newspapers, websites, interpersonal communication, lectures and other social media platforms. The study is specifically concerned with the contribution and relationship of TikTok political content to students’ political awareness.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

TikTok

TikTok is a social media platform based primarily on short-form video content that allows users to create, view, share, comment on and interact with videos through a personalised content feed.

Political Content

Political content refers to information, opinions, discussions, commentary, campaigns, news, satire, advocacy or other messages relating to political actors, elections, government, public policies, political institutions and political issues.

TikTok Political Content

TikTok political content refers specifically to political information, messages, videos, commentary, campaigns, discussions and related materials encountered by users through the TikTok platform.

Political Awareness

Political awareness refers to the extent to which an individual possesses knowledge and understanding of political institutions, political actors, elections, public policies, government activities and current political issues.

Political Knowledge

Political knowledge refers to factual information and understanding possessed by an individual concerning political institutions, political actors, elections, government and public affairs.

University Students

University students are individuals formally enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate academic programmes at the University of Lagos who constitute the population of the study.

Social Media

Social media refers to internet-based platforms that enable users to create, share, discuss and interact with digital content and with other users.

Political Communication

Political communication refers to the exchange and dissemination of information, ideas, messages and opinions concerning politics, government, elections, political actors and public affairs.

Political Awareness among Students

Political awareness among students refers to the degree to which students understand political events, institutions, actors, elections, policies and other public affairs relevant to their society.

Political Misinformation

Political misinformation refers to false, inaccurate or misleading political information that is created or circulated without necessarily being supported by credible evidence.

Political Engagement

Political engagement refers to the extent to which individuals show interest in, discuss, follow, express opinions about or participate in political and civic matters.

Project – TikTok Political Content and Political Awareness among University Students: A Study of Students of the University of Lagos, Akoka