Impact and dynamics of Social Media on the Occupy Nigeria protest: lessons for the future and the

past Abstract The advent of social media around the world has shaped how we interact with and influence one another. It has been used as tool for communication, training and monitoring. In recent times especially during the Arab Spring, it was tool for mobilizing protests that lead the change of powerful regimes in the Arab. When the Federal Government of Nigeria removed subsidy from Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) on the 1st of January, 2012, little did it realize that it would lead to a mass revolt that literally halted the economy for 2 weeks. Compared June 12 protests, this was different because of a large participation of the emerging enlightened middle class. This article sought to understand how the social media technology shaped the impact before, during and after the protest. Specifically it sought to understand how content was created, groups were mobilized and monitored. It also sought to assess its weaknesses, strengths and its implication for Nigerias democracy and our integration as a people. There were a review of secondary data came in form of newspaper articles, journals and videos relating to the social media, protest across the world before, during and after the crisis. This study showed that the media awareness of the fuel subsidy debate was a strong factor that helped fuel the subsidy. The abundance of various electronic devices in the Nigeria market had provided a way of communication across the nation. People released musical albums in the space of days, provided live coverage through their devices. The intuitive nature of social media helped to reduce the learning curve. It concluded that though transparency of the social media had its cost, it was necessary for the government to live up to its responsibilities to meet the ever-insatiable demands of its people and this same media as a tool for showing progess.