| Abstract: |
This study examined how social media users in Nigeria frame the student loan
scheme administered by the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), and what
these frames reveal about broader dynamics of trust, communication, and policy
reception in a low-trust digital environment. Framing theory guided the study, and a
qualitative research design was adopted, combining thematic content analysis of
374 publicly accessible posts and comments from Facebook, X (formerly Twitter),
and TikTok collected between June 2023 and September 2025, with 14 semistructured interviews conducted with undergraduate students in public tertiary
institutions. Findings revealed that risk framing dominated public discourse, with the scheme largely constructed as a pathway to long-term financial burden rather
than educational opportunity. Accountability and exclusion frames further
reinforced this negative orientation, while empowerment frames were
comparatively limited. The study also found that students were primarily exposed to
NELFUND-related content through algorithmic feeds and peer networks, both of
which amplified emotionally charged and sceptical narratives. Government
communication was widely perceived as less credible, whereas peer-generated
content, particularly critical accounts, was considered more trustworthy and
influential in shaping perceptions and engagement intentions. The study concluded
that historical distrust in public institutions, persistent economic uncertainty, and
platform-driven amplification processes collectively shape the dominant framing of
the scheme. These dynamics create significant communicative constraints for
policy implementation in digitally mediated environments. The study
recommended more transparent, audience-centred, and credibility-driven
communication strategies, alongside stronger engagement with peer networks to
improve public understanding and acceptance of the scheme. |
