Accessing Citizens’ Perceptions of Land-Related Policy in a Social Media Setting: The Case of Rural Grazing Area Settlement Programme in Nigeria

Abstract

Social media have opened interesting avenues for accessing active citizenry’s perceptions, providing an important tool for the promotion of the successful implementation of policy. Although social media data have been used to access citizens’ perceptions in various fields of study, they have yet to be adequately examined in the area of land-related policies. This study showcases the potential of the use of social media data to access citizens’ perceptions of land-related policies in the context of a developing country. We systematically selected YouTube videos with expressions of citizens’ perceptions of the Rural Grazing Area settlement programme in Nigeria. The findings from the social media data indicate that whilst some people perceived the policy’s potential benefits, most expressed dissatisfaction with it, and some suggested alternative policy approaches. The results suggest that social media data may be a promising avenue for accessing citizens’ opinions even in the case of land-related policies. Social media data must be accessed and used with caution, however, taking into consideration their limitations. This study’s main contribution lies in the demonstration that social media data can provide valuable insights into citizens’ perceptions of sensitive interventions, including land-related policies.

Climate‐related armed conflict and communities' resistance to Rural Grazing Area settlement policy in Nigeria's Middlebelt

“…Apikins (2020) noted that the low level of support was expected because the perception of RUGA policy is preconceived as an existential threat to the land and farming as the occupation of the host communities. Adekola et al (2022) affirmed that the preconceived dissatisfaction occasioned the low effect of the RUGA policy on the indigenous people of Benue state.…”

“…As articulated by the International Crisis Group (2017), thousands of people have lost their lives, and many have been displaced as a result of such conflicts. Several solutions have been offered in order to resolve the conflict; however, they are unable to provide lasting peace between the warring occupational communities (Adekola et al, 2022). Therefore, this article focuses on the recent Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) settlement policy adopted by the Nigerian federal government.…”