Analysis of Social Media Influencer Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Lagos Food Businesses

Influencer marketing has emerged as a dominant digital strategy for food and beverage businesses in Nigerian urban markets, yet the mechanisms through which influencer endorsements translate into consumer behaviour change remain imperfectly understood for the Lagos market. This study analysed the relationship between social media influencer marketing and consumer purchasing behaviour in Lagos food businesses. A descriptive survey was conducted among 280 social media users in Lagos Island and Mainland who had made food-related purchases following an influencer recommendation within the preceding six months. A structured questionnaire assessed influencer credibility perceptions, content authenticity, social proof cues, and subsequent purchasing decisions. Results revealed that 76.4 percent of respondents had tried a new restaurant or food product specifically following an influencer recommendation. Instagram was the dominant influencer discovery platform, used by 81.3 percent, followed by TikTok at 59.6 percent. Influencer perceived authenticity was the strongest predictor of purchase intention (beta = 0.52; p < 0.001), outweighing follower count and production quality. Nano and micro-influencers were perceived as more authentic than celebrity-tier influencers by 63.2 percent of respondents. The study concludes that authenticity-driven micro-influencer strategies are particularly effective in the Lagos food market and recommends that food businesses prioritise genuine product engagement over paid celebrity partnerships when developing influencer marketing campaigns. Keywords: influencer marketing, consumer behaviour, social media, Lagos, food industry