Stakeholders involved in the Community-Centred Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta project have reaffirmed their commitment to using social media insights to drive peace and stability across the region.
The resolution followed a Regional Social Media Listening (SML) Dissemination Meeting held on Tuesday in Asaba, Delta State, which brought together representatives from Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting provided a platform to examine key findings from several months of social media monitoring and community-based engagement.
Discussions centred on the evolving nature of violence in the region, with particular focus on the risks, opportunities, and trends emerging from online conversations and grassroots feedback.
Stakeholders noted that digital monitoring offers a real-time understanding of community sentiments and can reveal early warning signs of unrest that traditional research methods might overlook.
“Social media has become an essential tool for capturing the pulse of affected communities,” one participant noted.
“It helps us tailor interventions that are not only timely but relevant to the lived realities of the people.”
Validated insights presented during the meeting helped participants identify underlying drivers of criminality and conflict, enabling them to develop more targeted responses.
The session also featured the co-creation of action points based on recommendations from the SML report.
Participants emphasised the need for evidence-based approaches and sustained collaboration with local communities to address root causes of insecurity.
The event further underscored the growing role of technology in peacebuilding efforts and the potential of data-driven strategies to support long-term development in conflict-affected areas.
The initiative, supported by the European Union (EU) through Search For Common Ground (SFCG) in international Non Governmental Organisation and it’s Consortium partners, is part of broader efforts to promote peace through inclusive dialogue and digital innovation.
As the Niger Delta continues to grapple with complex security challenges, the use of social media as a peacebuilding tool is gaining traction, offering new pathways to understand, engage, and respond to community needs.
