SOCIAL MEDIA AND ACADEMIC WORK OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE: A STUDY OF LEADCITY UNIVERSITY

The rapid expansion of social media has transformed communication, learning, and information access among university students globally. This study investigates the influence of social media usage on the academic performance of undergraduates at Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria. With the increasing dependence on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok, the research explores students' familiarity with these platforms, the duration and purposes of their usage, and the perceived impact on their academic engagement and outcomes. Anchored on the Uses and Gratification Theory and Agenda-Setting Theory, the study employed a quantitative survey design with a sample of 370 respondent’s selected using stratified random sampling. Findings reveal that while a majority of students are highly familiar with and actively use multiple social media platforms for communication, entertainment, and academic collaboration, a significant portion also report excessive use that may hinder focus, time management, and study productivity. The research highlights both the educational potential and the distracting nature of social media use. It concludes with recommendations for balanced usage through institutional guidance and digital literacy programs to help students leverage social media constructively for academic excellence. Keywords: Social media, Academic performance, Undergraduates, Digital literacy, Lead City University, Social networking, Student behavior, Uses and Gratification Theory, Agenda-Setting Theory