CULTURE IN TRANSITION SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION IN NIGERIA AND THE PRESERVATION OF AFRICAN IDENTITY IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD

Nigeria’s complex cultural landscape faces increasing pressure from the forces of globalization, digitalization, and transnational cultural flows. As global norms and values rapidly penetrate local contexts, concerns have intensified regarding the erosion of indigenous knowledge systems and the diminishing sense of African identity among Nigerian youth. Social Studies education, designed as a discipline for citizenship formation, value transmission, and cultural continuity, is strategically positioned to respond to these challenges. This paper examines how Social Studies education in Nigeria can preserve and promote African identity in a globalized world. Drawing on empirical studies from Nigerian secondary schools, national policy documents, Afrobarometer datasets, and contemporary scholarly literature, the article analyzes the nature and pace of cultural transition in Nigeria, the extent of identity shifts among learners, and the capacity of the Social Studies curriculum to mitigate cultural loss. Findings indicate that, although globalization has amplified cultural hybridity, weakened indigenous value systems, and reshaped youth identities, Social Studies education still holds significant potential to reinforce cultural awareness, indigenous values, and national consciousness. However, this potential is constrained by curriculum inconsistencies, inadequate teacher preparation, limited integration of local knowledge, and the dominance of Western digital content. The study concludes by proposing a culturally responsive and hybridized Social Studies model that blends global competencies with African identity affirmation, offering strategic policy recommendations for curriculum reform, teacher education, and community–school collaboration.