Mmesomachukwu Chukwuemeka Iloh
Department of Mass Communication, Dominion University, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

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Digital Journalism and Citizen Engagement in Nigeria Tari Johnson; Mmesomachukwu Chukwuemeka Iloh; Margaret Solo-Anaeto; Carol Dixon Odoyi
Matondang Journal Vol 4 No 2 (2025): Màtondàng Journal
Publisher : Britain International for Academic Research (BIAR) Publisher

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.33258/matondang.v4i2.1381

Abstract

This paper focuses on the place of digital journalism and citizen engagement in Nigeria. Digital journalism has maintained its relevance through the advent of digital media which has fostered citizen engagement. Digital media such as Facebook, Twitter, and so on has allowed various news organizations and individuals to own a page on their platforms which has made the citizens of Nigeria aware of the news going on in their locality via electronic means and allowed them to give any form of rebuttal to any policy or activities of the government that are not welcomed by them. The democratic participation and the uses and gratifications theories of the media were used to guide this paper. It was acknowledges that digital media which serves as a tool for digital journalism and citizen engagement possesses the potential to bring about online citizen engagement among Nigeria’s population through offering them a platform for acquiring information necessary for citizen participation; for engaging in political discussions/debates in an atmosphere of enhanced freedom of speech; for direct conversations with elected representatives; for pushing for change; and for achieving group mobilization. The paper, however, argues that before digital media could effectively perform these roles as a tool for digital journalism and citizen engagement, certain factors must first be addressed and these include the extent of the youth’s interest in politics, the conduciveness (or helpfulness) of the political environment and the responsiveness of the government of the day to the citizen engagement cause.
Social Media and Political Communication in the 2023 Campaign in Nigeria Mmesomachukwu Chukwuemeka Iloh; Ekpali Joseph Saint; Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada; Timothy Ekeledirichukwu Onyejelem
Budapest International Research and Critics Institute-Journal (BIRCI-Journal) Vol 9, No 1 (2026): Budapest International Research and Critics Institute February
Publisher : Budapest International Research and Critics University

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.33258/birci.v9i1.8156

Abstract

This paper examines the role of social media in shaping political communication during the 2023 general election campaign in Nigeria. It investigates how political actors, parties, and citizen networks used digital platforms to disseminate messages, mobilise supporters, counter opposition narratives, and influence public opinion. Secondary data was used to generate relevant information on social media platform like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp, to identify communication patterns, strategies, and audience engagement behaviour. The paper argues that social media served as a critical arena for agenda-setting, political persuasion, real-time interaction, and participatory discourse, while also amplifying misinformation, emotional appeals, and polarising content. The paper concludes that social media significantly reshaped Nigeria’s 2023 campaign landscape by expanding political reach, enhancing youth participation, and redefining how political messages are produced, circulated, and contested. Nigerian political candidates have endeavoured to navigate the complex social media landscape. Initiatives such as fact-checking organisations and partnerships with digital influencers came as countermeasures to misinformation and targeted messaging.