Exploring The Effectiveness of Social Media Advertising Campaigns in 21st Century Nigeria

Abstract

The global advertising industry has experienced a fundamental transformation in the 21st century, with the advent of social media platforms. Social media have revolutionised how brands and organizations communicate with consumers, shifting advertising from one-way communication to interactive, data-driven, and personalised engagements. In Nigeria, the rise of Internet penetration, mobile connectivity, and youth-driven digital culture has positioned social media advertising as a major component of marketing communication. Despite this rapid growth, questions remain regarding the actual effectiveness of social media advertising, particularly in terms of consumer engagement, behavioural influence, and long-term brand loyalty. This study explored the effectiveness of social media advertising campaigns in Nigeria, using a mixed-method approach, and grounded in Social Network Theory (SNT), Uses and Gratification theory and the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). A descriptive survey was conducted with a sample of 385 respondents, determined using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) sample size table. Respondents were drawn from active Nigerian social media users who had been exposed to advertising campaigns across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter). Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and analysed through both descriptive and inferential statistics, including chi-square tests and regression analysis. Findings indicate that social media advertising is highly effective in raising brand awareness, fostering interactivity, and influencing consumer purchase intentions. However, challenges such as misinformation, Internet fraud, intrusive pop-up ads, and lack of regulatory oversight were identified as barriers to effectiveness. The study concluded that social media advertising campaigns are powerful tools for Nigerian businesses, but it requires enhanced regulation, digital literacy, and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven verification tools to minimise risks. Recommendations are offered to policymakers, advertisers, and consumers to strengthen the credibility and long-term sustainability of social media advertising in Nigeria.