Influence Of Social Media on Political Socialisation and Participation of GEN Z In Nigerian Private Universities

Abstract

This study examined the influence of social media on Political Socialisation and Participation of GEN Z in Nigerian private universities. The study was premised on four objectives while Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT) served as the theoretical anchor for the study. Survey research method was used with e-questionnaire as the instrument of data collection from the five hundred and twenty-five (525) respondents selected as sample size for the study, while purposive, available and snowballing sampling techniques were used to select the final study included in the study. Findings revealed that social media plays a pivotal role in the political socialisation and participation of GEN Z students in Nigerian private universities as the platforms provide them with timely political information and help shape their political opinions. It was also found that social media: had a positive significant impact on political socialisation among GEN Z students in Nigerian universities (β= 0.294, t= 23.691, p<0.05), had a positive significant impact on political participation among GEN Z students in Nigerian universities (β= 0.525, t= 19.164, p<0.05) while socio-economic background was also found to have a positive significant impact on political participation among GEN Z students in Nigerian universities (β= 0.525, t= 19.164, p<0.05). As recommendation, the social media should be effectively used by the government to motivate youths to fully participate in the political activities in Nigeria, not only online but offline as well. The GEN Z students should be mobilised to transfer their active online participation on political issues to offline engagement into political activities, such as, registration for voters’ card and the actual voting process.