Influence of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Purchase Behaviour in Nigerian Online Retail: An Empirical Study

Social media marketing has become a central component of the customer acquisition and retention strategies of Nigerian online retailers, yet the empirical evidence base linking specific social media marketing activities to consumer purchase behaviour in the Nigerian context remains fragmented. This study investigates the influence of social media marketing on consumer purchase behaviour in the Nigerian online retail sector, focusing on consumers in Abuja, FCT, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State. A survey of 380 online retail consumers recruited through social media was conducted, assessing exposure to and engagement with social media marketing content, attitudes towards social media advertising, influencer endorsement effects, and purchase behaviour outcomes. Structural equation modelling results indicate that content informativeness, visual appeal, and social proof mechanisms (user reviews and influencer endorsements) are the strongest predictors of purchase intention. Interestingly, sponsored advertising content has a weaker effect on purchase intention than organic user-generated content, suggesting that authenticity signals are particularly valued by Nigerian online consumers. The study also finds that Instagram generates higher purchase intention conversion rates than Facebook among respondents below 30 years of age, while Facebook remains more effective for consumers aged 30 and above. Keywords: social media marketing, consumer purchase behaviour, online retail, Nigeria, Instagram.