Social Media Use and Academic Performance Among Students at University of Ibadan

This study examines the relationship between social media use patterns and academic performance among undergraduate students at the University of Ibadan, South West Nigeria. The increasing integration of social media into student daily life raises important questions about its net effect on academic outcomes, with competing evidence suggesting both distraction costs and educational benefits. This study adopts a descriptive survey design, collecting data from 350 undergraduate students from five faculties through stratified random sampling. A structured questionnaire assesses daily social media use duration, platforms used, purpose of use (academic versus social), academic CGPA self-report, examination stress, and sleep quality. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis examine relationships between social media variables and academic outcomes. Findings reveal that students spend an average of 4.8 hours daily on social media, with WhatsApp (86 percent), Instagram (71 percent), and TikTok (58 percent) as the most used platforms. Social media use primarily for social purposes (entertainment and peer interaction) shows a significant negative correlation with CGPA, while academically-directed use including accessing research materials, joining course groups, and peer learning is positively associated with performance. Excessive nighttime social media use is associated with sleep deficit and examination anxiety. The study concludes that the relationship between social media and academic performance depends critically on the nature of use rather than total time spent. It recommends digital study habit training incorporating social media time management and purpose-directed use strategies for University of Ibadan students.

Keywords: social media, academic performance, University of Ibadan, students, digital habits.