Predicting the Detection of Misinformation Through Social Media Literacy Awareness and Skills Among Nigerian Undergraduates

Nigerian undergraduates rely on social media platforms as sources of news and information, which raises concern about their vulnerability to misinformation. Although media literacy has been recognized as a strategy to distinguish between credible and non-credible information online, evidence suggests that Nigeria’s social media users have limited critical evaluation skills. This study, therefore, examined the levels of social media literacy awareness and skills among Nigerian undergraduates regarding assessing information online. A survey research design was adopted, drawing on a sample of 393 undergraduates from a population of 24,100 across two universities in Southwest Nigeria: Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) and Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), using Taro Yamane’s formula. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of demographic variables and Likert-scale items. Findings reveal that Nigerian undergraduates’ awareness of media literacy was moderate; although students acknowledged an understanding of the importance of media literacy, this acknowledgment was largely theoretical rather than practical. Also, respondents’ skill levels indicated functional technical abilities in accessing information but limited competence in evaluating online content. This reflects a passive level of skill rather than proficiency. The study concludes that a gap exists between awareness and the practical application of social media literacy skills needed to combat misinformation. It recommends integrating a structured, skills-based social media literacy intervention to build resilience to misinformation.