Algorithmic Visibility and Digital Inequality in Shaping Cultural Expression and Youth Identity in Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how algorithmic visibility and digital inequality shape cultural expression and youth identity in Nigeria. As social media platforms become central to cultural production, algorithmic systems increasingly determine which voices gain visibility and which remain marginalised, intersecting with longstanding socio-economic and infrastructural inequalities. Drawing on data colonialism theory and platform studies, the study investigates how young people interpret and navigate these digital power structures. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed, using a stratified sampling technique to survey 350 Nigerian youth aged 18–35 with in-depth interviews with 18 purposively selected content creators across diverse geopolitical zones. Findings indicate that algorithmic visibility significantly predicts content modification for (52%) of respondents, while identity confidence records a mean score of 3.4 on a 5-point scale. Additionally, (62%) of participants report that device quality and internet instability strongly influence visibility outcomes, highlighting the role of socio-economic disparities. Youth also perceive algorithms as powerful yet opaque forces that influence creative choices, emotional well-being, and strategies for navigating online engagement. Despite these constraints, youth demonstrate agency through adaptive and resistant practices. Hence, the study concludes that algorithmic visibility constitutes a new layer of digital inequality in Nigeria, amplifying existing disparities while shaping cultural expression and identity formation. The study, therefore, links algorithmic visibility to cultural and identity outcomes and shows how platform logics reproduce and intensify digital inequality in the Nigerian context. It thereby recommends the need for more transparent, equitable, and context-sensitive approaches to algorithmic governance in the Global South, particularly in Nigeria.