TERM PAPER TITLED: DISCUSS CONSUMERISM AND NEW MEDIA

IN NIGERIA

BY OGUNSOLA SURAJUDEEN DAYO

PhD2201163
COURSE TITLE: NEW MEDIA AND ICT

COURSE CODE MCM905

DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION, FACULTY OF SOCIAL

SCIENCE NASARAWA STATE UNIVERSITY, KEFFI.

COURSE LECTURER: Prof A. I, Igyuve

JULY, 2023
Concept of Consumerism and New Media

It is the consensus among experts that for any discussion to be meaningful, it should start with

definition of terms. In this discourse, two terms or variables are apparent: Consumerism and

New Media. The Mariam Webster Dictionary defined consumerism as the theory that an

increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable also: a preoccupation with and an

inclination toward the buying of consumer goods.

Advanced English Dictionary also defined the concept as the protection or promotion of the

interest of consumers, the growth of the concept has led to many organisations improving their

services to consumers.

Akase et al, (2018) however viewed the concept from a movement point of view, citing Suresh,

(2013) who offered a conceptual explanation of consumerism as a movement which its main

objective is to regulate products or services, methods or standards of manufacturing, sellers and

advertisers, with a view to protecting the interest of buyers, such regulations may be institutional,

statutory or embedded in a voluntary code occupied by a particular industry or it may result more

directly from the influence of consumer organisation.

Akase et al, explained further that the underlying objective of the concept of consumerism

concerns all activities that effects a moderation of manufactured products and innovated services

for the interest of the buyers, or consumers. What this implies is that everything, either through

regulation or framework emplaced to protect the buyers or consumers is what the concept

connotes.

Ayozie (2013) attempted an evolution of consumerism in Nigeria, as he traced it to early 70s,

which began due to industrial revolution and mass production, followed by great awareness of
rights of buyers, thus leading to demand for value of money. The continued complains being

reported to a unit called consumer protection unit under the ministry of Trade in Abuja and

Lagos, the commercial nerve center of the nation birthed the concept of consumerism

Outside this concept, the finances, health and interest of consumers are prone to jeopardy in the

hands of manufacturers, producers or advertisers. So when rights and privileges of buyers are

strengthened, consumerism is at play.

Ayozie (2013) explained in clear terms what the rights of producers and that of consumers are:

The sellers have the following rights;

1) To introduce any product in any style or size provided that it is not injurious to health and

safety, and provided that potentially hazardous products are supplied together with appropriate

warnings.

2) To price products at any level provided that there is no discrimination between similar classes

of buyers.

3) To say what they like in promotion of their products provided that any message is not

dishonest or misleading to content or execution.

4) To spend any amount of money they wish, to promote their product and to introduce any

buying incentive schemes provided that these cannot be defined as unfair competition.

Ayozie (2013) also stated that buyers in their turn have their own rights and the right to expect

certain things from sellers and their products.

1) Not to buy products offered to them.

2) To expect the product to be safe.

3) To expect that the product is in fact essentially the same as the seller has represented.

Team Leverage Edu (2023) offers a conceptual explanation of the term new media, as d igital

technologies that are backed by computers and the Internet have hugely impacted the concept of Mass

Communication. Thus, social platforms, blogs, video games and online news portals can be collectively

called the New Media. It serves as the foundation for Digital Media Marketing and has an extra element

of interactivity which is largely missing in the traditional form of communication.

Digital Media combines digital technologies that enhance its reach and gives the audience liberty to

interact at their own convenience. Above all, it gives everyone an opportunity to become creators rather

than mere receivers. Given the features above , new media has made consumers open to unbridled

attempts to hoodwink them through various advertisements on social media, with less regulation

and less protective mechanism or framework, however, consumers have continued to device

some collective safety mechanism to counter balance various abuses against their interest by

producers. This is all what consumerism entails.

One of such measures is the review option available on various new media platforms from where

many got exposed to advertised products or services. With such assessment, other potential

buyers may get to know the quality or otherwise of a product in question. This type of experience

is borne out of the concept of consumerism in Nigeria.

This was captured succinctly as self-regulation on the part of buyers by Suresh (2013) as cited in

Akase et al, the scholar argued that components which ensures the existence of consumerism

includes self-protection by consumers themselves, consciousness of their rights and consumer

consciousness. Suresh concludes that the success of consumerism lies in the realization that there

is no substitute for voluntary self-regulation.

As a result, governments, individuals and organizations have taken actions that have spanned

across decades to protect consumers. It is noteworthy that governments in different countries

have put in place legal frameworks to ensure that marketers do not place commercial interest

over the health and wealth of consumers.

Apart from media advocacy against fake and substandard products, agencies such as Standard

Organization of Nigeria (SON) established in 1972, National Agency for Food, Drug and

Administration Council established in 1993, the Consumer Rights Protection Council (CRPC) in

1992, as well as SEVICOM, with desk officers in almost all agencies of government with

ultimate aim of ensuring that standard is maintained at all the time are efforts to upgrade

consumerism..

Consumerism and Realty in Nigeria

Despite the avalanche of methods and platforms through which consumers’ right and interest

could be guaranteed, the stack reality however is that it is not yet uhuru. Digital crime is

unabated, and authority and institutions are unfortunately seemed to be working to protect the

rogues, instead of seeing to be working for the consumers.

Proliferation of Scam messages: today, through the new media scam messages are spreading

out like wild fire, hundreds of innocent consumers or buyers are now at the mercy of their

vigilance, and once anyone loses guard, the impact of such could be monumental. For instance,

bank accounts are daily being hacked with attendance invasion into account through online

messages or calls as well as SMS, instead of institutions to guard against this criminal act, and in
situation when it has been perpetrated; standing on the part of the aggrieved, the reality is that

dispositions tantamount to being indifferent to such criminality are usual experience.

Unsupportive attitude of financial institutions: Many a times, financial institutions, that

should be the custodians of money in their coffers will remain indifferent to the rightful owner of

resources wired out illegally, and even laid encumbrances on the part of the complainant, citing

certain regulatory frameworks that will not allow them to disclose the identity of the invaders.

But the good news is that many frustrated consumers have also learned how to make them

accountable for such attitude, Twitter, one of the most popular new media platforms is always

the save haven, apart from standard procedure that demands consumers to report such institution

to the regulatory authority, dragging them on twitter with attendant reputational damage is the

order of the day.

Fake or product imitation: Another sad reality, even though there are various regulatory

frameworks that ought to work for the protection of consumers is the issue of fake or product

imitation. Except in the situation where consumer opted for pay on delivery, what many ordered

for through new media platforms as displayed or advertised through digital platforms are often

far in quality to what they got, this has continued to kill digital marketing, the integrity of digital

marketing has been all time low, this perhaps informed the reason why some blogs have emerged

to run adverts so as to serve as bench mark for products or service reliability.

‘Elopism’ is anther danger threatening consumerism, it is now a common experience that new

media has removed the age long geographical barrier, to the extent that those who never seen or

met with thousands of mile apart can come cross themselves and do business, but the sad reality

is that many consumers have had their hard earned money taken away without getting the service
or product paid for. Often, the last result is to black list such agent or institution, which may not

be effective.

Conclusion and Recommendations

All over the world, consumers are treated as kings or queens, they are the ultimate reason why

businesses are established, hence they must be treated well, to the extent that value must be given

for their money, in doing this, consumerism is elevated.

But the current reality, in the face of new media which has continued to be under regulated is

that more harms are being done than good, the implication is that many are being scammed,

notwithstanding the fact that consumers have remained conscious of their rights. Not all of them

have the voice and the technical know-how to seek redress, it does means that more efforts

should be put in place to ensure that consumerism remains elevated.

It is recommended that every agency and institution should work for the general good of all, in

doing this, misguided elements or unscrupulous business organizations will not have a hidden

place any longer, the implication is that everyone will sit tight, impliedly, the right of every

consumer will be guaranteed regardless of the anonymity of new media.

 References

Advanced English Dictionary online, (2021)

Cambridge Dictionary Online (2023). Retrieved from
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/new-media
Agada P. Oche (2021) Media Reportage of Consumerism in Nigeria: A Study Of Selected
National Newspapers. Being A Research Project Submitted To The Department Of
Mass Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, in Partial
Fulfillment of The Requirements For the Award Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. Hons)
Degree in Mass Communication
Akase T. Moses et al, (2018) Consumerism In the New Media: An Appraisal Of The Nigerian
Experience. Elk Asia Pacific Journal Of Marketing And Retail Management

Ayozie D. Ogechukwu (2013) Consumerism the Shame of Marketing In Nigeria Challenges to

Corporate Practices. 1 IPBJ Vol. 5 (1), 1 - 30 (2013)
Team Leverage Edu (2023) New Media: Definition, Courses and Scope. Retrieved from
https://leverageedu.com/blog/new-media/