Paper short abstract:

This study examines the ways in which the social media was used during Nigeria’s 2011 elections, and explores whether the role of social media in the election provides opportunity to improve elections in Africa.

Paper long abstract:

This study examines the ways in which the social media was used during Nigeria's 2011 elections, and explores whether the role of social media in the election provides opportunity to improve elections in Africa. It argues based on Nigeria's experience that there is a perceptible link between the use of social media in elections and improvements in the quality of elections. The study contends that the use of social media improved the quality of Nigeria's 2011 elections by promoting participation, competition, and integrity of elections. Unlike the existing studies on use of social media in elections, which focus on the deployment of social media in electioneering campaigns, this study examines how social media was used in a wide range of election related activities, namely electioneering campaign, election administration, and election observation. Looking specifically at Nigeria's 2011 elections, the study observes that social media was used by various election stakeholders primarily to broadcast messages, interact with each other and the public, report issues which require intervention to the authorities, receive feedbacks on action taken to address complaints, as well as mobilize and educate the electorate. It concludes that although social media is open to abuses, the opportunities it holds for improving elections necessitate its use. The study therefore recommends, among other things, that election management bodies and civil society organizations in Africa should make early plans for strategic deployment of social media to improve the quality of elections in their countries.