Digital Food Culture and Identity: A Qualitative Study of Nigerian Postgraduate Students’ Engagement with Food Influencers

Abstract

This study investigates the perceptions and discursive practices of Nigerian postgraduate students regarding the rising popularity of food influencers on social media. Anchored on the Two-Step Flow Theory and Stuart Hall’s Encoding/Decoding Model, the study explores how postgraduate students interpret, negotiate, and respond to food influencer content in relation to authenticity, cultural identity, and digital consumer behaviour. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and five In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) involving postgraduate students and expert informants, including a food content creator, cultural critic, nutritionist and communications specialist. Thematic analysis of the data revealed five core themes: food influencers as digital storytellers and culinary motivators; skepticism about over-commercialized and manipulative content; concerns over the cultural distortion of Nigerian cuisine; food influencing as a performance of class and aspiration; and audience expectations for authenticity, cultural representation, and health literacy. The findings highlight the nuanced and reflexive media engagement of postgraduate students, who act as active agents in decoding and reshaping media narratives. The study concludes that food influencing in Nigeria is not a trivial digital trend but a contested cultural practice shaped by power, identity and socioeconomic dynamics. Recommendations include: Promoting cultural authenticity, improving transparency in influencer marketing, encouraging healthier food practices and strengthening media literacy among digital audiences.