NEW MEDIA AND COVID-19 AWARENESS AND PREVENTION CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA: AN ANALYTICAL OVERVIEW

Abstract

The use of modern information and communication technologies to disseminate information has been trending long before the outbreak of global Covid-19 pandemic. Since the outbreak of this highly infectious virus and its high mortality rate, new media has been used to inform and educate Nigerians about the danger COVID-19 poses to human existence. This study analytically reviews the efficacy of new media in creating awareness about the outbreak and spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the various measures put in place to inform Nigerians on how to curtail its spread in Nigeria. The method used for the study is an analytical review of the use of social media for creating awareness about the outbreak and spread of coronavirus in Nigeria. The review confirms that inspite of its misuse, social media has been extensively used to inform the populace about the outbreak, spread and prevention of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. The study therefore concludes that social or new media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, and others were mostly used for creating awareness among Nigerians about the outbreak, spread and preventive measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The study concludes that social media misuse is a policy issue and therefore, the Federal Government of Nigeria should formulate policy to check social media misuse, misinformation and fake news in Nigeria.