A Study of Social Media Use and Academic Performance Among Secondary School Students in Ogun State

The rapid proliferation of smartphone ownership among Nigerian secondary school students has heightened concerns about the impact of social media use on academic concentration, study habits, and overall performance. This study investigates the relationship between social media use and academic performance among senior secondary school students in Ogun State, South West Nigeria. A survey instrument was administered to 320 students drawn from eight government and private secondary schools across Abeokuta South, Sagamu, and Ijebu-Ode Local Government Areas. Respondents were asked to report daily social media usage duration, preferred platforms, usage patterns during study periods, and their most recent terminal examination results. Statistical analysis using Pearson correlation and multiple regression revealed a significant negative relationship between daily social media use exceeding three hours and academic performance scores, particularly in core science and mathematics subjects. However, the relationship was moderated by the nature of use, with students employing social media for educational content consumption showing marginally better performance than those using it exclusively for entertainment. The study recommends the development of digital wellness programmes within the school system and recommends that parents engage with school ICT policy frameworks. Keywords: social media, academic performance, secondary school students, Ogun State, digital wellness.