THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTH BEHAVIOUR IN NIGERIA

This study examines the impact of social media on youth behaviour in Nigeria. The rapid growth of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) has significantly changed the way youths communicate, interact, and access information. While social media provides opportunities for education, communication, business development, and social networking, it also presents challenges that influence the behaviour of young people in both positive and negative ways. The objectives of the study are to assess the extent of social media usage among Nigerian youths, identify the purposes of usage, and examine its effects on their academic performance and behaviour. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to respondents, and the responses were analyzed using frequency tables, simple percentages, and chi-square statistical tools. Findings from the study revealed that most Nigerian youths use social media daily, with entertainment being the major purpose of usage. The study also found that social media has a significant influence on youth behaviour and contributes to both positive outcomes such as communication and learning, and negative outcomes such as academic distraction, addiction, exposure to immoral content, and cybercrime tendencies.