Journal of Innovations

Vol. 4, Issue 2

Social Lock-in and Digital Dependency: Undergraduate Adoption of Indigenous African Social Media Platforms in Nigeria

AUTHOR(S)

Njah Bassey and Peace Oja Egbai

ABSTRACT

As the Global South seeks to mitigate digital colonialism, the adoption of Indigenous African Social Media Platforms (IASMPs) has emerged as a critical pathway toward achieving digital sovereignty. Despite this potential, a substantial gap persists between awareness of these platforms and their integration into the everyday digital practices of African youth. This study investigates the factors influencing IASMP adoption among undergraduates at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) and the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Nigeria. Using a mixed-methods research design, the study surveyed 400 students (97% response rate, N=388) based on the Taro Yamane sampling formula. Data were collected through the Indigenous African Social Media Perception Scale (IASMPS), analyzed using descriptive statistics, and complemented by thematic analysis of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The findings reveal three key contributions. First, the study empirically demonstrates a pronounced Awareness–Usage Gap for IASMPs among Nigerian undergraduates. Second, it identifies institutional “classroom coercion” as a central mechanism of social lock-in, where students remain dependent on foreign platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram for academic participation. Third, the study shows that economic incentives, particularly zero-rating, generate only temporary adoption unless accompanied by improvements in user experience and institutional migration. Quantitative results indicate high awareness of legacy platforms such as Nairaland (88.9%), contrasted with low daily usage of newer “super-apps” like Ayoba (8.2%) and Umojja (1.5%). Qualitative evidence further reveals a perceived technical inferiority of local platforms, reflected in low UX ratings, alongside strong reliance on zero-rated access. The study concludes that digital sovereignty is constrained by social lock-in and network externalities, consistent with Metcalfe’s Law. To address these challenges, it recommends institutional migration of academic communication to indigenous platforms and the advancement of linguistic justice through the integration of Efik, Bekwarra, Ejagham, and Nigerian Pidgin.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.62470/3b269463 

CITE THIS ARTICLE 

N. and Egbai, P. O. (2026). Social Lock-in and Digital Dependency: Undergraduate Adoption of Indigenous African Social Media Platforms in Nigeria, Journal of Innovations, 4(2), 31-45. https://doi.org/10.62470/3b269463