Project – Social Media Political Engagement and Youth Participation in Nigeria’s Democratic Process: A Study of Youths in Lagos State.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Democracy is founded on the active participation of citizens in the political processes through which leaders are selected, public policies are debated and government officials are held accountable. Political participation traditionally includes activities such as voting, joining political parties, attending political meetings, campaigning, contacting elected representatives and participating in civic organisations. In contemporary societies, however, technological development has expanded the meaning and avenues of political participation beyond conventional offline activities. Social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, X, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok have created interactive spaces through which citizens can obtain political information, express opinions, debate public issues, mobilise supporters and participate in political campaigns. The transformation of political communication has been particularly significant among young people because youths constitute a major proportion of social media users and are generally more comfortable with digital communication technologies. Loader, Vromen and Xenos (2014) argue that digital media have created new opportunities for young citizens to engage in politics through flexible and networked forms of participation, while Boulianne (2015) found that social media use can be associated with increased forms of civic and political engagement.

The relationship between social media and political engagement has become increasingly important in Nigeria because the country’s democratic process continues to experience challenges relating to political apathy, limited youth representation, distrust of political institutions and the perceived dominance of older political actors. Young Nigerians constitute an important segment of the electorate and have increasingly used digital platforms to discuss political issues, follow political candidates, share campaign messages and express opinions about governance. Research conducted during the 2019 Nigerian general elections found that young people were more active in online political participation than in several forms of offline political participation, suggesting that social media has created an alternative avenue through which young Nigerians engage with politics (Ojebuyi & Salawu, 2020). This development is important because political participation among young people is not limited to voting; it also includes political discussion, civic mobilisation, political expression, campaign participation and efforts to influence public opinion. The increasing use of social media by Nigerian youths therefore raises important questions concerning whether online political engagement can strengthen broader democratic participation.

The role of social media in Nigeria’s democratic process became particularly visible during major political and civic events, including the 2020 EndSARS protests and the 2023 general elections. Social media provided spaces for young Nigerians to disseminate information, organise activities, share experiences, mobilise supporters and draw national and international attention to political and social issues. Digital platforms enabled citizens to bypass some traditional communication gatekeepers and communicate directly with other citizens and political actors. More recent evidence indicates that youth-led online political movements, including EndSARS and the Obidient movement, have had measurable relationships with political participation, including voting intentions and intentions to contest political positions (Onayinka, Oluwasola, & Oyedele, 2026). These developments demonstrate that social media can facilitate political mobilisation and create new channels through which young people participate in democratic discourse. However, the extent to which online activism translates into sustained offline participation and institutional political influence remains an important issue requiring further investigation.

Social media political engagement can take different forms and levels of intensity. Some youths may simply consume political information, watch political videos, follow politicians or read political comments without actively contributing to political discussions. Others may comment on political issues, share political information, participate in online debates, support political candidates, join digital campaign groups, create political content or contact political representatives through social media. The distinction between passive and active engagement is important because frequent exposure to political content does not necessarily mean that a person is participating meaningfully in the democratic process. A recent study of Nigerian youths during the 2023 general elections found that social media use was associated with high levels of passive political engagement, while more active forms such as campaigning, contacting officials and joining political groups remained relatively limited (Osamwonyi, Tayo, & Badewo, 2025). This suggests that the democratic value of social media depends not only on the amount of political content youths encounter online but also on whether such exposure encourages active, informed and sustained participation.

The democratic potential of social media is also accompanied by significant challenges. Although social media can increase access to political information and create opportunities for public discussion, the same platforms can facilitate the rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, propaganda, political manipulation and polarising content. Young people who lack adequate media and digital literacy may find it difficult to distinguish reliable political information from fabricated or deliberately misleading content. Recent research on Nigerian political participation has identified misinformation, digital exclusion and shallow forms of online engagement as important limitations to the democratic benefits of social media (Suleiman & Peter, 2025). Similarly, emerging research ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections identifies fake news, misinformation, hate speech and political propaganda as major challenges associated with using social media for youth political mobilisation (Ogundijo, Ayantuga-Odule, & Adetola, 2026). Therefore, social media should not automatically be regarded as a mechanism that strengthens democracy; its democratic impact depends substantially on the quality of political information available, users’ digital literacy and the nature of interaction occurring on the platforms.

The relationship between youth participation and democratic development is particularly significant because young people represent an important political constituency whose involvement can influence the future direction of democratic governance. Although African youths generally continue to express support for democracy, evidence also indicates dissatisfaction with the way democratic institutions operate and comparatively lower participation in several conventional forms of political engagement. Afrobarometer (2024) reported that about 64% of young Africans across its surveyed countries prefer democracy to any other form of government, but young people were less likely than older citizens to participate in activities such as voting, joining others to raise an issue and contacting political leaders. In Nigeria, the continued use of social media by youths provides a potential mechanism for reducing some barriers to political expression and mobilisation. However, the challenge is determining whether digital participation can develop into informed civic behaviour, electoral participation, political accountability and sustained involvement in democratic institutions. Understanding this relationship is therefore essential for assessing the actual contribution of social media to youth participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.

Lagos State provides a particularly important context for studying social media political engagement and youth participation because of its large youth population, high level of urbanisation, extensive digital connectivity and prominent role in Nigerian political and civic activities. Social media has become an important arena for political communication among residents, particularly during elections and major public debates. Research specifically examining the 2023 general election in Lagos State found that social media provided a platform for political communication, discourse and participation, reinforcing its relevance to contemporary political engagement in the state (Oni, Mohammed, Collins-Dike, & Ridwan, 2024). Nevertheless, the existence of widespread social media use does not necessarily mean that youths are participating actively and meaningfully in democratic processes. Questions remain concerning the extent to which Lagos youths use social media for political information, discussion, mobilisation, electoral participation and civic action, as well as the factors that encourage or discourage such engagement. It is therefore necessary to empirically examine the relationship between social media political engagement and youth participation in Nigeria’s democratic process, with particular attention to youths in Lagos State.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Youth participation is essential to the sustainability of democratic governance, yet young people in Nigeria continue to face challenges that may limit their participation in formal political processes. Although youths constitute a significant segment of the Nigerian population and electorate, their involvement in conventional political activities such as voting, political-party participation, contesting elections and contacting political representatives has not always corresponded with their numerical importance. Afrobarometer (2024) reports that young people across African countries generally express support for democracy but participate less frequently than older citizens in several conventional forms of political engagement. In Nigeria, these concerns are compounded by perceptions of political exclusion, distrust of political institutions, unemployment, economic difficulties and the dominance of older political actors. This situation creates a need to understand whether alternative forms of engagement, particularly social media political participation, can encourage Nigerian youths to become more actively involved in democratic processes.

A second problem is the uncertainty concerning whether social media political engagement translates into meaningful political participation beyond the consumption and sharing of political information. Social media provides youths with opportunities to follow politicians, discuss public issues, express political opinions, participate in campaigns and mobilise around political causes. However, online visibility does not necessarily translate into voting, community mobilisation, contacting elected representatives, joining political organisations or other forms of sustained democratic participation. Ojebuyi and Salawu (2020) found that Nigerian youths demonstrated greater activity in online political participation than in offline political activities during the 2019 general elections. More recent research among Nigerian youths during the 2023 election similarly found that passive political engagement was more prevalent than active forms of political participation (Osamwonyi et al., 2025). The problem, therefore, is determining whether social media is genuinely strengthening youth participation in democratic processes or merely creating forms of temporary and largely symbolic online political activity.

A third problem concerns the quality and reliability of political engagement occurring on social media. Social media platforms enable political information to circulate rapidly, but they also make it possible for misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, propaganda and politically manipulated content to reach large numbers of users. Young people may therefore participate actively in political discussions while basing their opinions or decisions on inaccurate information. Suleiman and Peter (2025) identified misinformation, digital exclusion and shallow participation as important limitations associated with social media political participation in Nigeria. Similarly, emerging research on youth political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections identifies fake news, misinformation, hate speech and political propaganda as significant challenges. These problems raise concerns about whether increased social media engagement necessarily produces informed and constructive democratic participation or whether it can sometimes deepen political polarisation and manipulation.

A fourth problem is the limited empirical evidence specifically explaining the relationship between social media political engagement and youth participation in the democratic process among youths in Lagos State. Although studies have examined social media and Nigerian elections generally, and some have considered the 2023 elections in Lagos State, there remains a need to examine the different dimensions of youth political engagement, including political information seeking, political expression, online discussions, campaign participation, mobilisation, voting intentions and broader civic participation. The recent study by Oni et al. (2024) established the relevance of social media to political participation during the 2023 general election in Lagos State, while Onayinka et al. (2026) demonstrated the importance of online youth-led political movements to broader political participation in Nigeria. However, questions remain concerning the extent and nature of this relationship specifically among youths in Lagos State. This study therefore seeks to examine Social Media Political Engagement and Youth Participation in Nigeria’s Democratic Process: A Study of Youths in Lagos State.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between social media political engagement and youth participation in Nigeria’s democratic process, with particular reference to youths in Lagos State.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. examine the extent to which youths in Lagos State use social media for political information and political engagement;
2. identify the major forms of political participation undertaken by youths in Lagos State through social media platforms;
3. assess the influence of social media political engagement on youths’ participation in Nigeria’s democratic process; and
4. examine the major challenges that affect effective social media political engagement and democratic participation among youths in Lagos State.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. To what extent do youths in Lagos State use social media for political information and political engagement?
2. What are the major forms of political participation undertaken by youths in Lagos State through social media platforms?
3. To what extent does social media political engagement influence youths’ participation in Nigeria’s democratic process?
4. What are the major challenges affecting effective social media political engagement and democratic participation among youths in Lagos State?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

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

H₀: There is no significant relationship between social media political engagement and youth participation in Nigeria’s democratic process among youths in Lagos State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study will be significant to youths in Lagos State because it will increase understanding of how social media can be used as a channel for meaningful political and civic participation. The findings may encourage youths to move beyond passive consumption of political information towards informed political discussion, civic mobilisation, electoral participation and constructive engagement with democratic institutions.

The study will be beneficial to political parties and political candidates because it will provide information concerning the ways in which young people interact with political content on social media. Such information may assist political actors in developing more responsible and youth-oriented approaches to political communication, while discouraging manipulative practices and the dissemination of false information.

The study will also be useful to government institutions and policymakers. The findings may help policymakers understand emerging forms of youth political engagement and develop policies that encourage responsible digital citizenship, political inclusion and youth participation in democratic governance.

The study will be relevant to electoral management institutions, particularly because social media has become an important source of election-related information. The findings may help stakeholders understand how youths receive and interpret electoral information online and may support the development of more effective digital voter-education and civic-awareness programmes.

The study will be significant to civil society organisations and youth-focused organisations involved in civic education and democratic development. The findings may assist such organisations in designing digital campaigns that promote political awareness, fact-checking, constructive political dialogue, voter participation and accountability.

The study will also be beneficial to communication and political science scholars because it will contribute empirical evidence to the literature on digital political communication, social media, youth participation and democratic development in Nigeria. It may also provide a basis for future research into the relationship between online political engagement and offline political behaviour.

Finally, the study will be significant to Nigerian democracy generally because meaningful youth participation is essential for democratic continuity. By examining whether and how social media encourages young people to participate in democratic processes, the study may contribute to a better understanding of how digital technologies can be used to strengthen civic engagement while addressing the risks of misinformation, polarisation and superficial participation.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on Social Media Political Engagement and Youth Participation in Nigeria’s Democratic Process, using youths in Lagos State as the study population.

The content scope covers social media use for political information, political discussion, political expression, online campaigning, political mobilisation, electoral engagement and other forms of civic participation. It also examines the relationship between social media political engagement and participation in democratic processes, as well as challenges such as misinformation, political propaganda, hate speech, digital exclusion and passive political engagement.

The geographical scope of the study is Lagos State, Nigeria. The study does not cover youths across all states of Nigeria because of the size and diversity of the Nigerian population. Lagos State is selected because of its prominent political, economic, media and technological environment and the importance of the state in Nigeria’s democratic and electoral processes.

For the purpose of this study, youths will refer to young persons within the age range adopted by the researcher and specified in Chapter Three. The final sample will be drawn from selected areas within Lagos State using an appropriate sampling procedure.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Social Media: Digital communication platforms that enable users to create, share, discuss and interact with content and other users, including platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, X, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Political Engagement: The extent to which an individual seeks, consumes, discusses, produces or shares political information and interacts with political issues, actors and activities.

Social Media Political Engagement: The use of social media platforms to obtain political information, discuss political issues, express political opinions, interact with political actors, support political campaigns or participate in political mobilisation.

Youth: Young persons within the age category specified for the study who reside in Lagos State and are eligible to participate in the research.

Political Participation: Activities through which citizens attempt to influence political decisions, public policies, political leadership or governmental processes.

Democratic Process: The institutional and civic processes through which citizens participate in governance, including elections, voting, political communication, civic mobilisation, accountability and public decision-making.

Youth Political Participation: The involvement of young people in political and civic activities, including voting, campaigning, political discussions, political-party activities, civic mobilisation and engagement with government officials.

Political Information: Information relating to political parties, candidates, elections, government policies, public officials, political events and issues of public interest.

Political Mobilisation: The process of encouraging and organising individuals or groups to participate in political or civic activities.

Digital Political Participation: Participation in political activities through digital technologies and online platforms.

Political Misinformation: False or inaccurate political information that is shared or circulated without necessarily establishing that the person distributing it intended to deceive.

Disinformation: False or misleading information deliberately created or distributed with the intention of deceiving or manipulating its audience.

Political Activism: Deliberate individual or collective action aimed at promoting, opposing or influencing political causes, policies, institutions or political actors.

Civic Engagement: Individual or collective activities through which citizens contribute to community affairs, public discourse and democratic governance.

1.9 Organisation of the Study

The study is organised into five chapters.

Chapter One presents the introduction to the study. It covers the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, research hypothesis, significance of the study, scope of the study, operational definition of terms and organisation of the study.

Chapter Two will review relevant literature on social media political engagement and youth participation in democratic processes. It will cover the conceptual review, social media and political communication, political engagement, youth political participation, social media and elections, social media mobilisation, social media misinformation, theoretical framework, empirical review and identified gaps in existing literature.

Chapter Three will present the methodology adopted for the study. It will discuss the research design, area of the study, population of the study, sample size, sampling technique, research instrument, validity of the instrument, reliability of the instrument, method of data collection and method of data analysis.

Chapter Four will present the analysis and interpretation of data obtained from the respondents. The findings will be organised according to the research questions, while the stated hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance.

Chapter Five will present the summary of findings, conclusion and recommendations. The chapter will also identify the implications of the findings and suggest areas for further research.

Project – Social Media Political Engagement and Youth Participation in Nigeria’s Democratic Process: A Study of Youths in Lagos State.