Creation or Content Pollution? Algorithm, Virality and Value in Nigerian Skit Production

Abstract

The rapid expansion of social media platforms has transformed cultural production across the globe, with Nigeria emerging as a vibrant hub of digital creativity. Among the most visible forms of this cultural output are comedic skits, which circulate widely on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. This essay investigates the ways in which platform algorithms shape the visibility, value, and perceived quality of Nigerian skit production. Drawing on media ecology and attention economy as theoretical frameworks, the essay interrogates how algorithmic systems privilege certain forms of content and incentivise creators toward an “anything-for-views” culture. While skits provide accessible avenues for expression and economic participation, their algorithmic circulation often rewards sensationalism, repetition, and superficiality over creative depth. The essay employs a platform algorithm study—an interpretive examination of engagement metrics, recommendation logics, and content patterns—to critically analyse the tension between virality and value. Findings suggest that Nigerian skit culture is simultaneously a site of creative experimentation and of content pollution, where quantity often overshadows quality. By situating Nigerian skits within global debates on platform capitalism, digital labour, and cultural value, the essay contributes to understanding how African media ecologies are entangled with global digital infrastructures. It argues that while algorithms offer visibility, they also reshape cultural horizons, raising urgent questions about sustainability, authenticity, and the future of digital creativity in Nigeria.