Influence of Twitter on Public Diplomacy between Nigeria and China Relations, 2015-2023
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Date
2025-12
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Lead City University, Ibadan
Abstract
Diplomatic tools come in response to a rapidly globalising world where communication and influence no longer hinge solely on state-level negotiations. With the rise of digital platforms, social media has emerged as a critical component in the global communication landscape, offering governments, institutions, and individuals a platform to engage in dialogue, promote cultural exchange, and influence global opinions. Drawing on Soft Power theory, Constructivist theory, and Agenda-Setting theory, the research interrogates how digital platforms reshape narratives, identities, and issue salience in bilateral engagement. Employing qualitative content analysis of secondary sources, official communications, news reports, academic literature, and archived social-media content, the study traces patterns of state and non-state digital interaction
and their implications for trade, culture, education, and governance. Findings indicate that social media has amplified diplomatic visibility and broadened participatory channels: Nigerian and Chinese actors use platforms to project national images, mobilize support for initiatives, and sustain people-to-people exchanges. Soft power dynamics surface in cultural programming and educational outreach; constructivist processes explain how online discourse produces evolving identities and norms; and agenda-setting mechanisms reveal how actors prioritize issues to shape public attention. However, these opportunities coexist with significant risks, misinformation, platform asymmetries, uneven digital literacy, censorship, and regulatory uncertainty, which erode trust and complicate coordination. The study argues that realizing digital diplomacy’s benefits requires policy frameworks that promote media literacy, incentivize cross-platform engagement, institutionalize transparent communication practices, and support collaborative fact- checking. By centring an African perspective on digital diplomacy, the research contributes empirically grounded insights for diplomats, policymakers, and scholars seeking to harness social media for more informed, resilient, and equitable Nigeria–China engagement.
Keywords: Twitter, Public Diplomacy, Social Media, Nigeria–China Relations
Word Count: 265
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Keywords
Twitter, Public Diplomacy, Social Media, Nigeria–China Relations
Citation
Kate Turabian