DIGITAL RADICALIZATION: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA ALGORITHMS AMPLIFY TERRORIST RECRUITMENT IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

Joseph Emmauel ¹

Mahmud Muhammad Shafiu ²

Center for Peace and Security studies, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Nigeria ^{1& 2}

Corresponding Email: josephemmanuel199000@gmail.com ¹

Abstract

This paper critically examines the role of social media algorithms in amplifying terrorist recruitment efforts in Northern Nigeria. It argues that while platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) are designed to optimize user engagement, their algorithmic logic often favors sensational and polarizing content including extremist propaganda. Terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP have increasingly exploited this digital ecosystem to radicalize and recruit disaffected youth by leveraging local grievances, distorted religious narratives, and emotionally charged media. The paper highlights how the underlying socioeconomic conditions in Northern Nigeria – marked by poverty, youth unemployment, and low education – make the region especially vulnerable to digital radicalization. It also critiques the double standards in how tech platforms respond swiftly to extremism in Western contexts but lag in addressing similar threats in Africa due to inadequate content moderation infrastructure and lack of regional engagement. As a way forward, the paper calls for multi-stakeholder interventions including digital literacy integration in education, improved collaboration between Nigerian authorities and tech companies, and targeted investment in counter-narratives and economic empowerment programs. In an age where algorithms shape ideologies, combating terrorism in Nigeria requires not only military strategies but also digital vigilance, corporate accountability, and inclusive governance.

Keywords: Digital Radicalization, Social Media Algorithms, Boko Haram, Online Extremism, Terrorist Recruitment, Content Moderation, Algorithmic Amplification, Digital Literacy.