Understanding Anti-Chinese Sentiment in Social Media Discourse Among Young Nigerians

Negative perceptions and stereotypes of Chinese nationals and China's role in Nigeria have gained notable expression on social media platforms, particularly following high-profile incidents including documented abuse of Nigerian staff by Chinese managers, deceptive recruitment schemes, and perceived economic exploitation. This study examines the nature, prevalence, and drivers of anti-Chinese sentiment in social media discourse among young Nigerians. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, combining computational content analysis of 1,200 Nigeria-originating Twitter and Facebook posts mentioning China or Chinese nationals from January to December 2023, with focus group discussions involving 48 young Nigerians aged 18 to 30 from across the South East and South West zones. Sentiment analysis reveals that 41 percent of sampled posts express negative sentiment toward China or Chinese nationals, 37 percent are neutral, and 22 percent are positive. Negative content clusters around labour exploitation, product quality concerns, environmental damage, and immigration violations. Focus group participants distinguish between criticisms of Chinese corporate conduct and personal prejudice toward Chinese individuals, indicating nuanced rather than purely xenophobic orientations. The study concludes that anti-Chinese sentiment among young Nigerians reflects legitimate grievances more than irrational prejudice and recommends Chinese corporate accountability reforms as a more effective response than image promotion campaigns.

Keywords: anti-Chinese sentiment, social media, young Nigerians, South East Nigeria, Sino-Nigerian perceptions