Communication Theory and the Decolonisation of Mass Communication Education in Nigerian Universities

This study examines the theoretical foundations of mass communication education in Nigerian universities and proposes an original framework for decolonising communication theory curricula, making a substantive contribution to global debates about epistemic justice in higher education. Nigerian mass communication education has historically been structured around Western communication theories developed to explain predominantly Anglo-American media systems and social contexts, resulting in a curriculum that inadequately prepares students for practice in, or theorisation of, Nigerian and African communication contexts. This study employs a multi-phase qualitative methodology including curriculum document analysis from 20 Nigerian mass communication departments, interviews with 35 communication professors and programme directors across all six geopolitical zones, focus groups with 60 final-year students assessing curriculum relevance experiences, and a historical analysis of communication theory development in Nigerian universities from 1961 to present. The theoretical framework integrates decolonial theory, African epistemology, and critical communication studies. Findings reveal that Western canonical theories (agenda-setting, uses and gratifications, cultivation theory) dominate curricula at 90 percent of sampled departments, with African and Nigerian communication scholarship representing under 8 percent of assigned readings. Students and faculty alike identify the disconnect between theory and Nigerian communication practice as a significant educational quality challenge. The study proposes an original Afrocentric Mass Communication Curriculum Framework and recommends its development through collaborative inter-university process, with specific theory, pedagogy, and research methodology innovations for Nigerian communication education.

Keywords: decolonisation, mass communication education, Nigeria, African epistemology, curriculum.