Beyond Billboards: Digital Intelligence and Students Enrolment Decisions in Nigerian Private Universities, South-West Region

This study examines the influence of digital intelligence on student enrollment decisions in six purposively selected private universities across Nigeria's South-West zone. Digital intelligence has been regarded as a perceived usefulness, ease of use, interactive engagement, and information credibility. A multi-stage sampling technique yielded 384 respondents via Yamane's formula, analysed using PLS-SEM. Findings reveal that perceived usefulness (β = 0.312, p < 0.001) and interactive engagement (β = 0.287, p < 0.001) exert the strongest effects on enrollment decisions, while information credibility mediates this relationship (indirect effect = 0.184, p < 0.01). University administrators should prioritize interactive digital platforms and virtual engagement tools, and marketing officers must emphasize verified student testimonials and transparent information, and policymakers should establish minimum digital engagement standards for private universities. The study contributes validation of digital intelligence in enrollment contexts, extends technology acceptance model and UTAUT to educational recruitment in emerging markets, and offers an evidence-based framework for optimizing digital recruitment strategies in Nigeria's competitive higher education landscape.