International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: The intersection of social media technology and consumer psychology has made influencer marketing a critical force in digital communication; yet, scholarly understanding of its mechanisms remains fragmented, especially in non-Western contexts like Nigeria's beauty industry.
Objective: This conceptual article examines the theoretical and empirical foundations linking social media influencer marketing to consumer purchase intention in the Nigerian beauty industry, developing an integrated conceptual model.
Method: A thematic synthesis of peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and industry reports (2017–2025) was conducted, guided by recurring constructs including influencer credibility, content authenticity, trust, parasocial interaction, and cultural context.
Result: No single theory sufficiently explains influencer-driven purchase behaviour. An integration of Social Influence Theory, the Elaboration Likelihood Model, and the Theory of Planned Behaviour offers greater explanatory power. Four conceptual gaps were identified: inadequate theorisation of cultural context in Global South research, understudied long-term brand loyalty effects, limited micro-influencer conceptualisation, and absence of platform-specific models for Instagram. The Influencer–Consumer Behaviour Integration Framework (ICBIF) is proposed across structural, relational, cognitive, and behavioural dimensions.
Conclusion: The ICBIF transcends mono-theoretical approaches, acknowledging cultural context, platform affordances, and authenticity as moderating variables within a dynamic, self-reinforcing communication ecosystem.
Unique Contribution: The ICBIF is the first integrated conceptual model contextualised for Nigeria's beauty industry and comparable Global South digital economies.
Key Recommendation: Culturally adapted measurement scales, longitudinal empirical designs, and interdisciplinary scholarship are essential to advancing influencer marketing research in African contexts.