Empirical Analysis of Framing Effects on Public Policy Attitudes in Nigerian Online News Environments

Media framing theory predicts that how news stories present issues systematically shapes audience policy attitudes, but empirical testing of framing effects within Nigerian online news consumption environments, where multiple competing frames circulate simultaneously, remains limited. This study empirically analysed the effects of news framing on public policy attitudes among Nigerian news consumers in an ecologically valid online setting. A three-condition online experiment was conducted with 280 Lagos adult news consumers recruited through stratified online panels. Participants were randomly assigned to read news stories about electricity tariff reform framed as either an economic efficiency reform, a consumer welfare threat, or a balanced presentation. Policy support attitudes were measured before and after exposure using a validated 15-item policy attitude scale. Framing conditions showed significant differential effects on policy support (F = 24.6; p < 0.001). Economic efficiency framing significantly increased policy support compared to baseline, while consumer welfare threat framing significantly decreased support. The balanced presentation showed non-significant attitude change. Framing effects were significantly moderated by political trust, with low-trust respondents showing larger attitude shifts in the consumer welfare threat condition (interaction term p < 0.01). Pre-existing attitudes moderated framing effects for high-knowledge participants. The study fills a documented empirical gap in experimental framing research conducted within Nigerian online media contexts and provides evidence-based implications for how government and civil society organisations should design public communication about contested economic reform policies. Keywords: framing effects, online news, policy attitudes, experimental design, Nigerian media