International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: The advent of social media has dramatically transformed public health communication, especially in immunization enlightenments. Critical gaps exist including limited context-specific evidences for North Central Nigeria, including Nasarawa, and insufficient examination of digital equity issues affecting intervention implementation in the area.
Objective: This study explored social media platforms' potential for increasing public awareness and knowledge about immunization programmes in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, by examining digital media interventions across different Nigerian regions.
Method: The research employed systematic literature review methodology, analyzing peer-reviewed articles, government reports, and empirical studies from multiple Nigerian contexts. Qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on secondary data from PubMed, Google Scholar, and African Journals Online, covering literature published between 2010 and 2024.
Result: Social media platforms demonstrate significant potential for enhancing immunization communication, with increased vaccination intentions among expectant mothers exposed to multi-platform interventions. Northeastern Nigeria evidence shows participants perceived social media as beneficial for boosting awareness, though infrastructural limitations including poor internet coverage present barriers. Southwestern Nigeria studies demonstrate mobile phone-based interventions resulted in substantially higher immunization completion rates. Hybrid approaches combining traditional radio and social media optimize reach and effectiveness in regions with variable internet penetration.
Conclusion: Digital media interventions show considerable potentials for improving immunization outcomes, but successful Nasarawa State implementation requires careful adaptation to local infrastructural capabilities, cultural contexts, and digital access patterns.
Unique Contribution: This research provides the first systematic examination of social media intervention potential specifically for Nasarawa State's immunization programmes, offering evidence-based insights adapted to North Central Nigeria's context.
Key Recommendation: Nasarawa State government her counterparts, elsewhere, should adopt evidence-based multi-channel communication strategies, prioritize digital infrastructure development, and conduct pilot implementations with robust evaluation frameworks before state-wide scaling.