The Impact of Social Media Use on the Academic Performance of University Students: A PRISMA 2020 Systematic Review

Abstract

Social media has become a regular part of university life everywhere, including in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and even in the European Countries. There are concerns about it cutting into study time and lowering grades, which has prompted a lot of research. However, most previous reviews have not used a formal framework, and very few have focused specifically on developing countries. This review applies the PRISMA 2020 framework to examine four peer reviewed studies from those four countries. Each of these studies explores the relationship between social media use and students’ GPA or CGPA. Using PRISMA, I followed each step: identifying studies, screening them, checking if they met criteria, and including them. I extracted details such as sample size, student demographics, which aspects of social media use were considered, how academic performance was measured, and the statistical findings. I also checked study quality with a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and assessed the risk of bias in selection, information, and confounding. All four studies (total N = 573) reported the same result: more time spent on social media is linked to poorer academic performance. The effect was not small, either. Pearson correlations ranged from r = −0.239 in Nigeria to a negative relationship equal to R² = 0.374 in Ghana. Regression coefficients were between β = −0.317 and β = −0.303. In Cameroon, six predictors together explained just over half the variation in GPA (R² = .505; F = 16.142, p < .001). Facebook was the main platform used across all studies. Factors like whether students used social media at suitable times, addiction, the type of use, and feelings of social connection all played a part. In summary, the message is clear: heavier social media use is associated with lower grades among university students in these developing countries, but the specifics matter how, when, and why students use social media influences the outcome. Universities should take this seriously by teaching digital literacy and self-regulation, and by creating their own social media platforms to encourage more productive student engagement.