The study was on the adoption and use of social media platforms as PR channels of universities in North Central Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted for the study with the use of closed-ended questionnaire serving as the survey instrument for the elicitation of quantitative data. Findings showed that there was active use of social media platforms as PR channels in the select universities namely: Federal University, Lokoja (FULokoja), Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) and Base University, Abuja all located in the North Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Additionally, the study also revealed that the adoption and utilisation of the SM platforms comes with its attendant challenges in form of poor network connection, lack of social media operational knowledge, epileptic power, and technophobia. The study concluded that time has shown that technology determines a number of things and so is the adoption and utilisation of social media as PR channels by higher educational institutions such as the universities under the study. Among other things, the study recommended that efforts should be made by concerned authorities to ensure access to social media platforms as this will broaden the scope of organisations and institutions to target specific audiences using them as PR channels.
Vol. 3, No 2, pp. 127-135.