Article Details

The study examined the influence of attitudinal change, driven by new media, on national security in Nigeria between 2000 and 2025. Nigeria, now Africa’s largest internet user base, has experienced a surge in digital engagement, particularly among young people, through platforms such as X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. The study explored how new media have reshaped public values, driven online interactions and influenced societal behaviour, while also facilitating civic mobilisation, including the End SARS protests. Employing qualitative methods, including interviews with media practitioners, security personnel and youth activists, as well as document analysis, the study adopted a thematic analytical framework. It was observed that although new media exerts significant influence on public attitudes with important implications for national security, this impact remains insufficiently recognised and reflected in policy frameworks. This gap essentially informed the research. The findings revealed both positive and negative implications for national security, with new media shaping public perceptions, behavioural trends and societal norms. The study concluded that new media have significantly influenced attitudes in Nigeria with direct consequences for national security. It was therefore recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria adopt cyber forensics strategies through a whole-of-society approach to detect and counter harmful agents of attitudinal change operating through new media, and that the National Orientation Agency initiate nationwide awareness campaigns, beginning with foundational institutions such as the family, schools, and places of worship.

Attitudinal Change, National Security, New Media, Whole-of-Society Approach,