Social Listening: The Missing Link to Better Governance in Nigeria

Social media is no longer just a space for selfies and hashtags. In Nigeria, it has become a lifeline. With over 33 million active social media users, Nigerians, both young and old, use platforms like Facebook and Twitter (now X) to share their realities. These platforms have become arenas for sharing dreams, frustrations, and raw truths hoping someone in power will notice. But too often, these voices echo back unheard.

What is Social Listening?

Social listening is about more than just keeping tabs on conversations. It’s about hearing the deeper stories behind the words. It means analyzing what people are saying, understanding their emotions, and using these insights to take action. Done right, social listening allows leaders to feel the pulse of the nation in real-time and respond with empathy and purpose.

Globally, governments have used social listening to manage crises, fight misinformation, and rebuild public trust. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some countries tapped into social media to understand public fears and address them head-on. Imagine if Nigeria had done the same, how many of the over 2,500 recorded pandemic-related deaths could have been prevented through swift, informed action?

Nigeria’s over 33 million social media users don’t just vent online, they mobilize. The #EndSARS protests, with over 28 million tweets in October 2020 alone (Statista, 2021), demonstrated how digital voices could ignite national movements. Nigerians cry out for justice during floods that displaced over 1.4 million people in 2022 (NEMA) and demand accountability for systemic failures. These aren’t just posts, they’re desperate calls for change. Yet, despite this digital outpouring, there’s little evidence that these voices are reaching the ears of those in power.

What if they did? Imagine:

• Better Services: Social media data could reveal the 53% of rural hospitals without sufficient medicine (UNICEF, 2023).
• Faster Crisis Response: Real-time insights could guide relief efforts during emergencies like floods, which affected 29 states in 2022 (NEMA).
• Battling Fake News: By identifying and addressing harmful narratives early, governments could counter misinformation that reaches millions in hours.

Every Nigerian story on social media carries weight. The farmer whose crops were ruined by floods. The graduate among the 4.1 million unemployed youth (NBS, 2023). The mother waiting in vain for power to return so her child can sleep without heat. Social media amplifies these stories, but without action, the weight only grows heavier.

Nigerians are resilient, but they shouldn’t have to be unheard. Social listening isn’t just about data; it’s about dignity. It’s about seeing the humanity behind the hashtags and recognizing that every post represents a real person with real struggles.

To our leaders: Listen. Truly listen. Hear the pain, the hope, and the call for change. Use this technology not to control, but to connect. Because a nation that listens is a nation that leads.

Social listening is more than a tool. it’s a lifeline for governance that cares. It’s time for Nigeria to embrace it, not as a luxury, but as a necessity. Let’s turn the cries of our people into actions that heal and unite.

What are your thoughts?

Have you experienced moments where social listening could have made a difference?

Let’s discuss.