Parasocial Relationships and Influencer Marketing Effectiveness in the Nigerian Digital Economy

This study applies parasocial relationship theory to examine the mechanisms through which social media influencer relationships drive marketing effectiveness in the Nigerian digital economy. Influencer marketing has become a major brand communication investment in Nigeria, yet the psychological processes that explain when and why influencer endorsements persuade remain understudied in the African context. Parasocial relationship theory proposes that audiences develop one-sided but emotionally significant relationships with media personalities that simulate interpersonal trust and influence. This study employs a quantitative survey-based design, collecting data from 480 social media users in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano who follow at least one Nigerian influencer. Parasocial relationship strength, influencer perceived authenticity, influencer category (lifestyle, fashion, food, comedy), brand endorsement attitude, and purchase behaviour outcomes are measured through validated scales. Structural equation modelling tests the hypothesised mediating role of parasocial relationship in the influencer-persuasion pathway. Moderating effects of influencer category, audience gender, and social media platform are examined. Findings reveal that parasocial relationship strength is the strongest single predictor of endorsement attitude and purchase intention, surpassing follower count and post frequency as effectiveness predictors. Authenticity perception fully mediates the parasocial-persuasion relationship. Female audiences develop stronger parasocial relationships with lifestyle and fashion influencers. Micro-influencers (10,000 to 100,000 followers) generate stronger parasocial relationships than mega-influencers despite lower reach. The study contributes an original parasocial relationship model for Nigerian influencer marketing and recommends authenticity assessment as a standard influencer selection criterion for Nigerian brand managers.

Keywords: parasocial relationships, influencer marketing, Nigeria, digital economy, brand communication.