The Implications of Social Media Use on Development in Africa: A Development Theory Perspective

Abstract

Social media, most obviously, have an effect on development. Global trends show that, countries that have liberalized the usage of social media have experienced extensive development across diverse fields. Despite the extant literature on social media, little effort has been made to assess the role of social media in development in Africa based on the development theory perspective. This article therefore used the development theory to assess the role of social media on Africa’s development. Development theory serves as an ideological function and therefore, social media users are able to articulate and share ideas on this platform. Overtime, they are able to form a coalition directed towards an ideology for the purpose of development. The study also uses a desktop approach to describe the various phenomena associated with development in Africa. The study realized that despite the negative connotations associated with social media in Africa, they have led to massive development on the continent especially in the field of health, culture, politics and religious convictions and education.