As a plus-size lady, I’ve all the time had a gentle spot for merchandise that promise fast outcomes. I do know it’s not essentially the most reasonable expectation, however generally, you simply need outcomes as quick as Mr Flash.
I nonetheless keep in mind 2020 after I spent nearly your complete 12 months saving as much as purchase a weight-loss product a well-liked Nigerian influencer swore by. In keeping with her, it was the key behind her snatched waist, toned arms, and completely rounded bum. The day my package deal arrived, I used to be over the moon. I couldn’t await my “magical transformation” to start.
However three months in? Nothing. No snatched waist. No tone something. I used to be figuring out, consuming clear, doing all the pieces proper, but I wasn’t seeing the glow-up I used to be promised. And it hit me, what number of different Nigerians had fallen for a similar factor? How many people had been simply chasing influencer desires that weren’t even actual?
Truthfully, I’ve reached a breaking level. Each scroll, each swipe, each story seems like one lengthy gross sales pitch disguised as authenticity. Audiences, who used to hold on each phrase from their favourite influencers, are getting drained. The shiny “prepare with me” clips, the emotional breakup movies, even the “uncooked and actual” morning routines, all of them look the identical now. And worse? All of them really feel like adverts.
A 2025 Enterprise of Vogue and McKinsey survey discovered that 68% of buyers have gotten frustrated by the high volume of sponsored content on social media platforms
Affect fatigue is right here, and it’s hitting Nigeria’s digital house laborious. The extra influencers attempt to “join,” the extra disconnected their followers have gotten. However the query is, how did we get right here, and what does this imply for the way forward for digital affect?
When Authenticity Turns into Efficiency
Within the early days of Nigerian influencer advertising and marketing, the method labored fantastically. Just a few shoutouts, some life-style pictures, and a touch of relatability, after which growth, engagement! However over time, that “realness” began to appear like an act.
Immediately, influencers are underneath fixed stress to monetise each second. Each journey, breakup, or outfit change has a possible model tie-in. Even “unboxing” items from manufacturers or “simply displaying what I exploit every day” has turn into a part of a monetisation pipeline.
@coldestjoel Have we had sufficient of influencer tradition? #marketing #tiktokban #socialmediamarketing #influencermarketing #influencersinthewild ♬ original sound – Joel Marlinarson
Audiences, although, aren’t fooled. They will sense when somebody’s being real and once they’re performing authenticity for clicks. What used to really feel like pleasant suggestions now reads like technique.
And right here’s the factor: individuals don’t need to be offered to 24/7. Particularly not when it’s disguised as friendship.
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The Nigerian Context: Similar Templates, Completely different Faces
Nigeria’s influencer house has exploded, however it has additionally turn into predictable.
There’s the style influencer with the proper aesthetic, the skincare guru with flawless pores and skin, the journey vlogger doing brand-funded “staycations,” and the life-style creator who all the time “simply found” a brand new fragrance or espresso model.
The issue? Everybody’s content material appears to be like and sounds the identical.
Scroll by way of TikTok or Instagram, and also you’ll see similar transitions, voiceovers, and captions, all tailor-made to suit no matter model deal is trending that week. The individuality that when made influencers magnetic has been changed by repetition.
This template tradition is one main driver of affect fatigue. When audiences can predict what you’re going to say earlier than you say it, you’ve already misplaced their consideration.
Belief Deficit: From Perception to Scepticism
Influencers as soon as formed buying behaviour as a result of they had been seen as relatable specialists. However as model partnerships grew, so did the notion that all the pieces is on the market.
Immediately, when an influencer posts a couple of product, Nigerian audiences usually tend to ask, “Did they actually use it?” or “How a lot had been they paid?” than “The place can I purchase it?”
This erosion of belief is compounded by a scarcity of transparency. Many influencers fail to reveal paid partnerships, blurring the road between real endorsement and paid promotion. The consequence? A weary viewers that second-guesses all the pieces.
