Impact of Social Media on Politics and Peacebuilding in Nigeria's Democracy

Nigeria as a country, continues to witness unprecedented escalation of violence ranging from deadly ethno-religious clashes to genocidal killings particularly in the Middle Belt, something media pundits often profile as herder-farmer conflicts. Government and stakeholders, have engendered various measures for social engagement aimed at curbing the menace, promoting security and sustainable peace. Connected internet technologies have revolutionized how the Nigerian society interacts in its deliberative engagements for democracy, social wellbeing and peaceful coexistence. In the last decade, technology-driven methods of information dissemination and mass mobilization in Nigeria have become acutely pronounced. The explosive impact of the social media has overwhelmed the traditional channels of social influencers and opinion moulders in Nigerian politics and democratic governance. This study investigates the impact of social media on politics and peacebuilding in Nigeria’s democracy and highlights how the new media can have direct impact on political struggle, responsive governance and conflict resolution. The theoretical framework of the study is anchored on social network theory. The study combines the qualitative and historical approaches to research based on document investigation. Information collated from scholarly publications, which provide vital insights into wide-ranging angles of the study, is carefully sifted and analyzed. The study objectively presents its finding, namely that social media is a double-edged sword; it can be deployed to promote peacebuilding, but it can also instigate and escalate conflicts. The paper concludes that by collaborative efforts, Nigeria can mitigate the abuse of social media, deepen democracy and promote peacebuilding. It recommends a balanced approach to content regulation which promotes freedom of expression but ends the culture of impunity in Nigeria.