Vote wisely: An explorative analysis of the diasporic use of X in fostering civic participation in the 2023 general election in Nigeria

Studies on diasporan contributions to their home countries have often focused on financial remittances as their most significant contribution to national development. Hence, diasporan financial remittances are prominent in the budgetary, economic and development plans of many receiving countries. This study argues that diasporans also contribute to ‘social remittances’ – the use of social capital to circulate new ideas, cultural practices and political participation that are essential to national development. Specifically, using social network analysis to explore the communication of Nigerian diasporans during the 2023 Nigerian general election, this study found that Nigerian diasporans leveraged their social networks on X to promote voter registration, mobilize voters and push for the integrity of the electoral process, thereby strengthening democracy. This explorative study contributes to the repertoire of knowledge about the use of social media for civic participation and national development by the diaspora.