Investigation of the Impact of E-Learning Platforms on Student Academic Performance at Federal University Lokoja

The widespread adoption of learning management systems in Nigerian tertiary institutions following the COVID-19 pandemic has raised important questions about the actual academic impact of these platforms on student performance, and post-pandemic empirical documentation remains necessary. This study investigated the relationship between the use of the Google Classroom e-learning platform and the academic performance of undergraduate students at Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State, North Central Nigeria. A descriptive survey design combined with an ex-post-facto approach was employed. A sample of 250 second-year students from four departments was selected using stratified random sampling. A questionnaire assessed frequency of platform engagement, nature of activities performed, and self-reported learning outcomes. CGPA data from the 2022 and 2023 academic sessions were used as performance measures. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between platform engagement frequency and academic performance (r = 0.54, p < 0.05). Students who used the platform daily showed significantly higher CGPA scores than those who logged in less than once per week. However, 41.2 percent of respondents cited unstable internet connectivity as severely limiting engagement. Device ownership was an additional access barrier for 28.4 percent. The study concludes that e-learning platform engagement has a meaningful positive association with academic performance but is constrained by digital access inequities. Recommendations include subsidised data access, campus-wide Wi-Fi expansion, and mandatory platform orientation for new students at Federal University Lokoja. Keywords: e-learning, Google Classroom, academic performance, Federal University Lokoja, digital learning