CYBERSPACE AND THE ACTIVITIES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS GROUPS IN NIGERIA, 1999-2021

Abstract

The emergence of cyberspace or new media has enhanced the visibility of some Christian religious groups in Nigeria. Christian religious activities such as crusades, Sunday and midweek services, impartation and healing programmes, and counselling are seamlessly carried out by religious groups in cyberspace comparatively in recent times. The era of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria saw the rise of these religious activities in cyberspace. However, the study of cyber-religion has not been adequately given attention in the context of Nigeria in academic discourses. Globally, there is an avalanche of scholarly work in this regard. Therefore, this study is a bridge to close the existing gap in Nigeria's religious historiography. The research is based on secularisation, modernization, and globalization theories. A desk review of extant literature, oral interviews with key informants, and personal observations by the researchers have been triangulated for objectivity and critical analysis. The study unveils that the utilization of new media by religious institutions and actors is bedevilled by some challenges which are categorized into three including audience problems, technical and denomination or church issues. The study, therefore, advocated for improvement in internet services by network service providers, reduction of the high cost of data tariffs, and youth empowerment as plausible ways out of these challenges.