Abstract
Media literacy enables people to interpret and make informed judgments as
users of digital technology sources, as well as to become producers of media
contents in their own right. However, many Nigerian universities are not aware
of this literacy or have not included it in their curricula. This study analysed the
media-literacy content in curricula of nine select universities in Africa’s most
populous nation: Nigeria. Some key findings revealed that: (a) media-literacy
courses proper were not on the curricula; (b) media-literacy-related courses,
which stood as proxies, accounted for about two per cent of the curricula; and
(c) media-literacy-related courses were available to students only as electives.
The present research indicates that media-literate students tend to be skilled
in accessing information about their health, environment, education and
work. They would also be able to evaluate media content critically and to make
informed decisions as users of digital technology sources, as well as to becoming
producers of media contents in their own right. Based on the accumulated skills
of media literacy for contemporary young people, it was recommended that
communications programmes redesign their curricula to include media literacy
and related courses. Also, communication educators should be more receptive
to the importance of media literacy skills in the education of their students.
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