Project – Influence of Citizen Journalism on Public Perception of Government Activities. A Study of Selected residents of Lagos State

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The emergence of digital communication technologies has significantly changed the way citizens obtain, produce and share information about public affairs. Traditionally, information about government activities was largely disseminated through newspapers, radio, television and official government communication channels, with professional journalists serving as major intermediaries between government institutions and the public. The development of social networking sites, smartphones and other digital platforms has reduced some of these traditional barriers by enabling ordinary citizens to record events, publish observations, share documents and comment on government activities in real time. This development has contributed to the growth of citizen journalism, broadly understood as the participation of non-professional journalists in the gathering, production and distribution of news and public-interest information. Kperogi (2015) notes that social media networks have enabled Nigerian citizens to become alternative sources of news and to participate more directly in democratic discourse, while UNESCO (2021) emphasizes that the digital environment has expanded the number of voices participating in public communication.

Citizen journalism has become particularly important in relation to government activities because citizens can directly document public events and distribute information without waiting for conventional media organizations to report them. Through platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok and YouTube, individuals can publish photographs, videos, eyewitness accounts, commentaries and other forms of information concerning public institutions and government officials. Adeyeye and Christian (2017) observed that social media and citizen journalism have broadened opportunities for Nigerians to report local and national issues and have created platforms through which government activities can be brought to public attention. Similarly, Kperogi (2015) argues that networked social journalism can serve as an alternative source of news and can influence the news agenda of conventional media.

The increasing visibility of citizen journalism has implications for how citizens perceive government activities. Public perception refers to the way individuals interpret, understand and form opinions about events, institutions, policies and actions based on information available to them. Citizen-generated reports may provide information that citizens consider immediate, personal and independent of official government communication. In Nigeria, Ajayi and Isinkaye (2021) found, based on a survey conducted in three local government areas in Lagos State, that respondents perceived new media platforms as contributing to transparency and accountability by enabling interaction between citizens and government officials. Their findings suggest that digital media exposure can influence how citizens understand government activities and evaluate the accountability of public officials.

Citizen journalism may also influence public perception by increasing public awareness of government policies, programmes and activities. Unlike conventional media, where editorial selection determines which events receive attention, social media allows individual citizens to identify and circulate issues they consider important. Okoji and Azeez (2023) found that social media platforms were widely used for exposure to information about government policies and actions in Nigeria and that respondents perceived social media as contributing to public interest, understanding of government activities and citizen-government interaction. The study also identified concerns relating to hate speech and violence, demonstrating that the influence of citizen-generated and social-media content on public perception can involve both informative and problematic dimensions.

Another important dimension is the potential of citizen journalism to strengthen government accountability. Citizens who witness government activities, public-service delivery or alleged misconduct can use digital platforms to document and publicize their observations. This can create public discussions and encourage government institutions to respond to issues raised by citizens. Olarewaju (2021) demonstrates that information and communication technologies, including social media, can support citizen engagement and transparency in Nigerian government budgetary processes. More recently, Odoh and Olagunju (2025) found that informed citizens can use social media to expose alleged corrupt practices and demand accountability within Nigeria’s democratic government. These findings indicate that citizen-generated information can become part of broader accountability processes and can affect the information environment in which citizens form perceptions about government activities.

However, citizen journalism also presents concerns regarding credibility, verification and misinformation. Unlike professional journalists working within established editorial structures, citizen journalists may publish information without formal journalistic training, systematic fact-checking or institutional editorial review. This can result in the rapid circulation of incomplete, inaccurate, misleading or decontextualized information. Okeke et al. (2022) found that a significant proportion of respondents in their study of audience perceptions of citizen journalism did not consider citizen journalism sufficiently reliable to recommend it as a news source. UNESCO (2018) similarly emphasizes the challenges created by misinformation, disinformation and information disorder in digital environments, while UNESCO (2026) notes that the ability of virtually anyone to publish and share information has increased opportunities for real-time reporting while also making it more difficult for audiences to distinguish fact from falsehood.

The influence of citizen journalism on public perception can therefore vary according to the credibility, frequency, nature and interpretation of the information being circulated. For example, videos or eyewitness reports about government projects, public protests, infrastructure, public-service delivery or alleged misconduct may increase citizens’ awareness and stimulate discussion. At the same time, selective reporting, emotional presentation, misleading captions or unverified claims may produce perceptions that do not fully correspond with available evidence. In their study of social-media coverage of the #EndSARS protests, Ohaja et al. (2021) found that perceptions of social-media performance differed between younger and older respondents and emphasized the importance of credibility, accuracy and objectivity in citizen journalism. This suggests that audience characteristics and perceptions of information quality may affect the relationship between citizen journalism and public understanding of public affairs.

The issue is particularly relevant in Lagos State because Lagos is a major Nigerian urban centre with extensive use of digital communication platforms and a large population that interacts with government institutions on issues such as transportation, infrastructure, taxation, environmental management, public safety, healthcare and other public services. Citizens increasingly encounter information about government activities not only through official statements and conventional media but also through videos, posts, comments, eyewitness reports and discussions generated by other citizens. Existing research has examined social media, accountability and public perceptions in Lagos State, including the study by Ajayi and Isinkaye (2021), which surveyed residents across three Lagos local government areas. However, their focus was on new media and government accountability generally rather than specifically on the influence of citizen journalism on public perception of government activities.

Consequently, there is a need to examine the specific role citizen journalism plays in shaping how residents understand and perceive government activities in Lagos State. Such an investigation is important because citizen journalism can simultaneously increase access to information, facilitate citizen participation and expose issues of public interest, while concerns about accuracy, verification and misinformation may affect how such information is interpreted. Adeyeye and Christian (2017) identify citizen journalism as an important development in the Nigerian digital communication environment, while Okeke et al. (2022) demonstrate that audience perceptions of citizen journalism as a news source are not uniformly positive. The present study therefore focuses on the influence of citizen journalism on public perception of government activities, using selected residents of Lagos State as the study population.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The increasing use of digital platforms has changed the information environment within which citizens learn about government activities. Government agencies now communicate directly with citizens through digital platforms, while citizens simultaneously produce and circulate their own reports about government programmes, public services and activities. This development can increase access to information and create additional channels for citizen participation. However, the extent to which citizen journalism actually influences residents’ perceptions of government activities remains an empirical issue requiring investigation. Ajayi and Isinkaye (2021) found that residents in selected Lagos local government areas perceived new media as contributing to transparency and accountability, but their study considered new media generally rather than isolating citizen journalism as a specific source of information.

A second problem concerns the credibility and reliability of citizen-generated information. Citizen journalists can publish information rapidly and directly from locations where events occur, but such information may not always undergo the verification and editorial processes associated with professional journalism. Consequently, citizens may encounter conflicting reports, unverified claims, edited videos, misleading captions or information presented without sufficient context. Okeke et al. (2022) reported reservations among respondents concerning citizen journalism as a news source, while UNESCO (2018) identifies misinformation and disinformation as significant challenges within contemporary digital information environments.

A third problem is that citizen journalism may affect public understanding of government activities in different ways. Information circulated by citizens can draw attention to government projects, policies, public-service problems and issues requiring official response, thereby increasing public awareness and participation. Research by Okoji and Azeez (2023) indicates that social media can stimulate public interest in government activities and provide channels for citizen-government interaction, while Odoh and Olagunju (2025) found that social media can facilitate citizen efforts to expose alleged corrupt practices and demand accountability. At the same time, the circulation of inaccurate or highly selective information may complicate citizens’ understanding of government activities.

The fourth problem is the limited empirical evidence specifically examining citizen journalism and public perception of government activities among residents of Lagos State. Existing studies have examined social media and accountability, social-media coverage of protests, citizen journalism as a news source and the relationship between digital media and governance, but these studies do not fully establish how citizen journalism specifically influences residents’ perceptions of government activities in Lagos State. This gap creates the need for a focused study that examines the exposure of Lagos residents to citizen journalism, the perceived credibility of citizen-generated reports, the extent to which such reports shape awareness of government activities, and their influence on residents’ perceptions of government performance and activities.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine the influence of citizen journalism on public perception of government activities among selected residents of Lagos State.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. examine the extent to which residents of Lagos State are exposed to citizen journalism about government activities;
2. determine the influence of the credibility of citizen-journalism reports on residents’ perception of government activities;
3. examine the influence of citizen-journalism content on residents’ awareness and understanding of government activities; and
4. determine the influence of citizen journalism on residents’ perception of government accountability and public-service activities.

1.4 Research Questions

The study will be guided by the following research questions:

1. To what extent are residents of Lagos State exposed to citizen journalism about government activities?
2. To what extent does the credibility of citizen-journalism reports influence residents’ perception of government activities?
3. To what extent does citizen-journalism content influence residents’ awareness and understanding of government activities?
4. To what extent does citizen journalism influence residents’ perception of government accountability and public-service activities?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

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

H₀: Citizen journalism has no significant influence on public perception of government activities among selected residents of Lagos State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study will be significant to residents of Lagos State because it will provide greater understanding of how citizen-generated information can shape their knowledge and perceptions of government activities. The study may encourage citizens to pay attention to the credibility and reliability of information before forming conclusions about public institutions and government activities.

The study will be useful to government institutions and public officials because it may provide information about how citizens receive and interpret reports concerning government activities. Understanding the role of citizen journalism may help public institutions improve communication with residents, respond to public concerns and provide timely clarification when inaccurate or incomplete information circulates.

The study will also benefit professional journalists and media organizations. Findings from the study may help media practitioners understand the relationship between citizen-generated information and audience perception. It may further highlight the importance of verification, contextual reporting and collaboration between professional journalism and citizen-generated information.

The study will be relevant to communication and journalism educators and researchers because it will contribute to academic discussions concerning citizen journalism, digital communication, public opinion, social media and governance. It may also provide empirical material for future studies on digital journalism and citizen participation in Nigeria.

Finally, the study may be useful to civil society organizations and civic-education practitioners interested in promoting informed citizen participation. Understanding how residents receive and interpret citizen-generated reports can support initiatives aimed at improving digital literacy, responsible information sharing and constructive engagement with government.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on the influence of citizen journalism on public perception of government activities among selected residents of Lagos State.

Content Scope

The study covers four major areas:

• exposure to citizen journalism;
• credibility of citizen-journalism reports;
• citizen journalism and public awareness/understanding of government activities; and
• citizen journalism and perceptions of government accountability and public-service activities.

The dependent variable, public perception of government activities, will be examined in relation to residents’ awareness, understanding, interpretation and assessment of government activities based on information encountered through citizen journalism.

Geographical Scope

The study will be conducted among selected residents of Lagos State, Nigeria. Because Lagos State is extensive, the researcher may select specific Local Government Areas for questionnaire administration according to the sampling plan adopted in Chapter Three.

Population Scope

The population will comprise adult residents of the selected areas of Lagos State who use digital communication platforms and have opportunities to encounter citizen-generated news or reports concerning government activities.

Conceptual Scope

The independent variable is citizen journalism, while the dependent variable is public perception of government activities. Citizen journalism will be examined through exposure, credibility, content and citizen-generated reporting, while public perception will be considered in terms of awareness, understanding and perceptions concerning government activities and accountability.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Citizen Journalism: The process through which ordinary members of the public participate in gathering, recording, producing and distributing news or information about events and issues of public interest, particularly through digital and social-media platforms.

Citizen Journalist: An individual who is not necessarily a professionally trained journalist but who gathers, records, comments on or distributes information about events and public issues through digital or other media platforms.

Public Perception: The way members of the public understand, interpret and form views about government activities based on information and experiences available to them.

Government Activities: Programmes, policies, projects, decisions, services, actions and other official activities undertaken by government institutions and public officials.

Government Accountability: The responsibility of government institutions and public officials to explain, justify and take responsibility for their actions, decisions and use of public resources.

Public Awareness: The extent to which citizens possess knowledge or information concerning government programmes, policies, projects and activities.

Citizen-Journalism Credibility: The extent to which residents regard information produced or circulated by citizen journalists as accurate, reliable, trustworthy and worthy of consideration.

Social Media: Internet-based digital platforms through which users can create, publish, exchange and interact with content, including platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok and YouTube.

Government Activities Reporting: The production and circulation of information about government programmes, policies, public services, projects, decisions and activities.

Residents: Individuals who live within the selected areas of Lagos State and constitute the population from which respondents for the study will be selected.

Project – Influence of Citizen Journalism on Public Perception of Government Activities. A Study of Selected residents of Lagos State