Exploring the Believability Profile of Social Media Fake News Headlines on Covid-19 in Nigeria

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), fake news is one of the critical upshots of the Covid-19 pandemic, convoyed with untimely and avoidable deaths. However, the response profile to this challenge is largely unknown, especially in the Nigerian context. This study investigates the impact of fake news headlines on social media on how Netizens viewed and believed the covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Data from an online survey and contents from social media users in Nigeria using the hashtag "#coronavirusNigeria" and "#covid19Nigeria" were analyzed. Results show that those who are apolitical, less educated, and use Facebook and television as primary sources of news are more likely to believe fake news and fake cures. They do that more than those who belong to a political party and are educated. This study offers the theoretical and empirical background to frame the debate about the influence of fake news on how Nigerians viewed and responded to the pandemic