Celebrity Advocacy, Social Influencers, and the Transformation of Nigerian Public Discourse

This study examines the growing role of celebrities and social media influencers in shaping Nigerian public discourse on political, social, and policy issues, developing an original theoretical framework for understanding celebrity advocacy as a distinctive form of political communication in the Nigerian context. The rise of celebrity advocacy in Nigeria, from musician-led EndSARS protests to influencer-driven social campaigns on poverty, healthcare, and governance, represents a significant transformation in who speaks authoritatively in Nigerian public discourse. This study employs a multi-method design combining computational analysis of 2.1 million social media posts from 60 Nigerian celebrity and influencer accounts to map advocacy topics, audience reach, and discursive impact; case studies of six major celebrity advocacy interventions between 2020 and 2023 using process tracing methodology; interviews with 28 celebrities, influencers, brand managers, and political communication scholars; and audience reception research through online surveys (n = 520) and focus groups (n = 48) assessing how audiences receive and act on celebrity advocacy. The theoretical framework synthesises celebrity studies, political communication theory, parasocial relationship theory, and African public sphere scholarship. Findings reveal that celebrity advocacy in Nigeria demonstrates a distinctive pattern of high emotional amplification, low policy specificity, and strong in-group ethnic amplification that differs significantly from Western celebrity advocacy models. The EndSARS experience demonstrates both the transformative potential and structural limitations of celebrity-led public discourse. The study contributes an original Nigerian celebrity advocacy theory and recommends media literacy approaches that help audiences critically evaluate celebrity political claims.

Keywords: celebrity advocacy, influencers, Nigerian public discourse, political communication, EndSARS.