Utilisation of Social Media for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Taraba State, Nigeria
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This study examines how social media platforms are shaping climate change communication, adaptation, and mitigation in Taraba State, Nigeria, a state where ecological vulnerability intersects with emerging digital engagement. Drawing on a cross-sectional survey of 385 respondents and integrating cross-tabulations, multiple regression, and correlation analysis, the study investigates the influence of demographic factors on digital climate engagement and the behavioural outcomes of social media campaigns. Findings reveal high levels of social media use for climate-related information, particularly among younger and more educated respondents, with WhatsApp and Facebook emerging as the dominant platforms. While respondents generally perceived social media as effective in raising climate awareness, a significant awareness–action gap remains, with behavioural change lagging behind information access. A strong positive correlation (r = .879, p < .001) was found between the type of climate content accessed and self-reported adoption of mitigation practices. The study advances theoretical insight by applying and extending the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Communication Infrastructure Theory (CIT), and Participatory Communication Theory to a digitally marginalised African context. It concludes that while social media holds transformative potential, its impact is constrained by infrastructural deficits, limited participatory mechanisms, and socio-political exclusions. Strategic, inclusive, and co-created communication efforts are essential for translating digital climate discourse into tangible community resilience.
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