Analysing the Forms, Exposure, and Frequency of Political Communication in Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Election: A Case Study of Lagos State

Abstract

Abstract

This study assesses the various forms of political communication used, the extent of voters' exposure, and the frequency of exposure to these forms during the highly competitive 2023 Presidential election in Lagos State, Nigeria. Anchored on the Agenda-Setting Theory and the Hybrid Media System paradigm, the study adopted a mixed-methods descriptive survey research design, combining quantitative questionnaires and qualitative Key Informant Interviews (KII). A sample of 600 registered voters was selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure from a participating population of 1,271,451, alongside nine purposively selected key informants. Quantitative data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, and weighted means (WM), while qualitative data were analysed using thematic mapping. Findings revealed that political parties deployed a hybrid communication mix dominated by physical rallies, television advertisements, and aggressive social media campaigns. Crucially, while voters experienced the highest extent of exposure to physical printed materials (WM = 3.81) due to spatial ubiquity across the metropolitan landscape, social media campaigns constituted the most frequently encountered form of communication on a continuous, day-to-day basis (WM = 3.03). The study concludes that contemporary electioneering in an African megacity is driven by a hybrid media ecosystem where digital frequency and street-level visibility mutually reinforce one another. It recommends that political stakeholders maintain integrated communication frameworks that balance offline visibility with constant online narrative engagement, and advocates for updated digital literacy paradigms in civic education.

Keywords:   Political Communication, Voter Exposure, Agenda-Setting, Hybrid Media, Lagos State.