growth. The objective was to assess the combined effect of social media, involving visual-centric, professional

networking, real-time engagement, and community-driven platforms on MSE performance, particularly revenue

growth among MSEs in the area. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected using a

structured questionnaire administered to 781 respondents drawn from a population of 3,337,198 MSE owners

using Taro Yamane’s formula, with reliability established through pilot testing and Cronbach’s alpha values

above acceptable thresholds. Multiple regression analysis showed that all four platform dimensions significantly

enhanced revenue growth, with visual-centric platforms (1.921) exerting the strongest effect, followed by

professional networking (1.835), real-time engagement (1.817), and community-driven (1.763) platforms. The

study concluded that social media is a critical performance-enhancing tool for MSEs, supporting revenue

expansion and customer engagement across Lagos State. It recommended strategic investment in visual content

The fast growth of social media has clearly changed how businesses, especially micro and small-scale enterprises

(MSEs), communicate and market their products. With continuous advances in digital technology, social media

plays a key role in boosting business visibility, engaging customers, and reaching wider markets. It provides

cheaper options compared to traditional marketing methods. Alalwan (2020) and Dwivedi et al. (2021) noted

that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp among others help businesses

interact with customers instantly, build brand awareness, and improve sales. Appel et al. (2020) added that social

media allows businesses to collect feedback, tailor their messages, and grow lasting customer relationships,

which helps retain customers and improve business performance. Kapoor et al. (2022) also stated that using

social media helps small businesses become more innovative, flexible, and competitive in the digital age.

However, how well businesses use social media still depends on their digital skills, strategic focus, and available

visibility and draws investor attention, making it easier for businesses to get finance and market data. Dwivedi

et al. (2021) found that digital tools improve access to support networks and help businesses follow government

rules through clearer information sharing. Sharma et al. (2022) confirmed that when used wisely, social media

boosts efficiency and competitiveness, even in markets with heavy regulations, by closing gaps in support and

funding.

In many African countries, social media is playing a big role in how MSEs work and grow. It opens up new

ways to market products, connect with customers, and drive innovation. In Egypt, El-Kasheir et al. (2021) found

that Facebook and Instagram help businesses gain visibility and boost online sales, especially in areas where

formal financial services are limited. In Morocco, Bouzidi et al. (2022) noted that small firms use social media

to reach customers quickly and follow market trends, despite weak institutional support. In Algeria, Bennani and

(2021) found that MSEs use WhatsApp and Facebook to reach more customers and lower advertising costs. In

Ghana, Asare et al. (2022) reported that digital engagement helped boost sales and keep customers. Across

Nigeria, and Lagos State in particular, Odoom and Kosiba (2020) noted that more access to smartphones and

internet has increased the use of social media to solve problems like poor access to funding, weak support

systems, and tough government rules. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to understanding how

social media tools shape MSEs' performance amid resource constraints and policy gaps in Lagos State, Nigeria.

The study is scoped to evaluate the link between social media use and business performance among MSEs in

Lagos State, Nigeria, and guide stakeholders on how to improve digital access.

Globally, social media has changed how MSEs handle marketing, engage customers, and improve performance.

Appel et al. (2020) and Durkin et al. (2020) showed that it boosts visibility and builds stronger customer

platforms. This gap justifies the present study, which seeks to examine the combined effect of social media usage

on the performance of MSEs in Lagos State’s unique business environment.

The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of social media usage on the performance of micro and

small-scale enterprises in Lagos State, Nigeria. The specific objectives are to:

assess the effect of visual-centric platforms on MSEs' performance in Lagos State, Nigeria;

ii)

examine the effect of professional networking platforms on MSEs' performance in Lagos State,

Nigeria;

iii)

investigate the effect of real-time engagement platforms on MSEs' performance in Lagos State,

Nigeria; and

iv)

analyse the effect of community-driven platforms on MSEs' performance in Lagos State, Nigeria.

content within virtual communities. According to Kapoor et al. (2022), social media platforms such as Facebook,

Instagram, and WhatsApp support business activities by enabling engagement, brand promotion, and customer

feedback. These platforms help MSEs build brand identity, access broader markets, and improve customer

relationships without heavy financial investments. The interactive nature of social media also allows businesses

to monitor customer preferences and adjust their strategies accordingly. For MSEs with limited resources, social

of social media which include visual-centric platforms, professional networking platforms, real-time engagement

platforms, community-driven platforms. The next paragraphs contain the conceptual review of these four

dimensions of social media.

Visual-focused platforms play a major role in how MSEs communicate and market their products. Platforms like

Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube use images and videos to boost customer engagement and brand awareness.

Appel et al. (2020) defined visual-centric platforms as digital tools that let users share and create content

instantly. Dwivedi et al. (2021) described it as a flexible platform that allows direct interaction and user-driven

content, which is vital for today’s businesses. Sharma et al. (2022) observed that these visual platforms help

The rise of digital tools has changed how businesses connect, share ideas, and build relationships. Professional

networking platforms, a type of social media, have become key tools for MSEs to grow their networks and enter

new markets. Appel et al. (2020) described these platforms as online apps where users create, share, and

exchange ideas in virtual communities. Platforms like LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter), as noted by Sharma

et al. (2022), help MSEs connect with experts, follow industry trends, and attract investors or partners. These

networks also boost credibility, visibility, and access to mentorship, all of which improve business performance.

Dwivedi et al. (2021) confirmed that using these platforms strategically helps businesses grow by strengthening

customer ties, spreading knowledge, and opening access to key resources.

Boateng and Okoe (2022) found that real-time engagement increases customer satisfaction, builds loyalty, and

boosts sales. MSEs also benefit from quicker information sharing, better crisis response, and stronger brand trust.

As a result, real-time platforms are vital for improving business performance, especially in fast-paced and

competitive markets.

Community-driven platforms have become a key part of digital interaction, letting users create, share, and

exchange ideas, experiences, and resources (Appel et al., 2020). These platforms rely on user content and peer

engagement, forming strong social media communities. Appel et al. (2020) described them as online spaces

where users actively post content, join discussions, and shape the platform based on common interests. Platforms

platforms helps MSEs grow their audience, keep customers, and react fast to changing needs and boosting overall

business performance.

and assets below ₦5 million. They define small businesses as those with 10–49 employees and assets between

platforms. The researchers analysed the data using multiple regression techniques. Findings revealed that regular

posting of visual content, such as product videos and photos, significantly enhanced business visibility, customer

interest, and revenue growth.

platforms (α = 0.750), and revenue growth (α = 0.726). The collected data were analysed using multiple

regression analysis to determine how social media usage affected MSE performance. All statistical procedures

were executed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 25.

In simple mathematical form, the model is written as follows:

Where: P= Performance (revenue growth), X

= professional networking

platforms, X

= real-time engagement platforms, X

= community-driven platforms, β

= Intercept, β

- β

=

Regression Coefficient, µ= Stochastic error term.

a. Predictors: (Constant), visual-centric platforms, professional networking platforms, real-time engagement

platforms, and community-driven platforms

usage. The Adjusted R² of 0.675 further confirmed the model’s explanatory strength after adjusting for

predictors. The Durbin–Watson value of 1.792 suggested that the residuals exhibited minimal autocorrelation,

thereby supporting the statistical soundness of the model.

Source: Field survey, 2025

the performance of MSEs in Lagos State was statistically significant (F = 524.326, p < 0.001). The regression

sum of squares (168.746) captured nearly all the explained variation in MSE revenue growth, while the residual

sum of squares (0.728) indicated very limited unexplained variance. With 4 degrees of freedom for regression

and 776 for residuals, the high F-value confirmed that the model possessed strong explanatory capacity in

predicting MSE revenue growth.

a. Dependent Variable: revenue growth

the predictors.

The findings of this study provide strong empirical insight into how social media usage affects the performance

of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in Lagos State, Nigeria. The regression results demonstrate that social

media platforms, particularly visual-centric and professional networking channels, exert significant positive

effect on enterprise performance. This finding reinforces the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which

asserts that users adopt technologies, such as social media, when they perceive them as useful and easy to

integrate into their operational processes. The substantial unstandardised coefficients recorded in the model

indicate that social media tools are not merely supplementary communication channels, but core performance-

contribute to business visibility and customer engagement in Lagos. This result supports the findings of Okolo

and Edeh (2022), who demonstrated that consistent posting of visual content, such as product photos,

promotional videos, and branded graphics, enhances customer interest, widens market reach, and increases

revenue growth. When interpreted through the TAM framework, the ease with which entrepreneurs can create

and share visual content appears to increase their perceived usefulness of these platforms, stimulating adoption

and thereby improving performance.

For the second specific objective, professional networking platforms also exhibited a strong positive effect on

MSE performance (B = 1.835, p < 0.001). This underscores the value of networks that facilitate business-to-

business interactions, knowledge exchange, and market intelligence. The result corroborates Okanga and Nzewi

revenue growth. This reflects the value of instant communication and rapid customer feedback loops. The result

is supported by Muriithi and Wanjohi (2022), who reported that platforms enabling real-time interactions, such

as WhatsApp and Twitter, enhance customer satisfaction, sales volume, and brand visibility. This demonstrates

high perceived usefulness, consistent with TAM’s adoption framework.

Finally, the fourth objective on community-driven platforms (B = 1.763, p < 0.001) reveals their significant

contribution to knowledge exchange, customer engagement, and sales growth. Banda and Chiumia (2022)

similarly observed that participation in community-oriented digital groups strengthens customer loyalty and

improves business performance. This finding reinforces TAM by showing that interactive community

environments motivate sustained platform adoption among MSEs. Collectively, these findings affirm that social

dimensions examined. The study concludes that visual-centric platforms exert the strongest positive effect on

revenue growth, demonstrating that visually engaging content drives customer attention and business visibility

in a highly competitive market. Professional networking platforms also significantly improve performance by

expanding access to market intelligence, partnerships, and customer acquisition opportunities. Real-time

engagement platforms further strengthen enterprise performance by supporting instant communication, quick

customer feedback, and improved brand responsiveness, while community-driven platforms enhance customer

loyalty, knowledge exchange, and sales through interactive digital communities. Collectively, these findings

affirm that all four dimensions of social media use meaningfully contribute to MSE performance within the

TAM framework, as owners adopt platforms they perceive as useful and easy to apply in business operations.

Lagos State.

The findings of this study carry important policy implications for strengthening the digital capacity and

competitiveness of MSEs in Lagos State, given that social media usage significantly explains variations in

revenue growth. Policymakers should prioritise programmes that enhance digital literacy, subsidise access to

high-speed internet, and provide training on the effective use of visual-centric, professional networking, real-

time engagement, and community-driven platforms to enable MSEs maximise their performance outcomes.

Support agencies should also integrate social-media-based marketing modules into government-led

limits its ability to capture long-term behavioural changes in social media adoption among MSEs. Future

research should therefore employ longitudinal or mixed-method approaches to better understand evolving digital

practices and their sustained effects on enterprise performance.