Bridging the Privacy Gap: Analyzing Nigerian Disclosure Behaviors and Developing Culturally Relevant Interventions

Abstract

The proliferation of the internet has significantly increased social media usage in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Nigeria, where over 163 million users engage in diverse activities. However, existing privacy and security studies and solutions are primarily tailored for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) countries, leaving Nigerian users underserved. This paper examines Nigerian privacy and disclosure behavior across various domains using the privacy calculus framework to develop effective, relatable, and applicable interventions. Three studies are described: one on financial applications, another on social media birthday disclosures, and a third on intimate contexts such as sexting. The findings will inform the development of gamified, culturally relevant privacy education tools aimed at enhancing privacy awareness and behavior among Nigerians.