More than half of Kano residents rely on radio for information – Study

More than 51 per cent of Kano residents rely on radio as their primary source of information, a study has revealed.

The Sahel Centre for Information, Media, and Development Research (SCIMDER) conducted the study. Isah Nasidi, the centre’s head and research team lead, said the study also examined media consumption trends in 2024.

“The study found that despite the growth of the internet and social media, radio remains a key information source, with 51 per cent of respondents actively tuning in.

“Urban dwellers listen more frequently than rural residents, while men in rural areas consume more radio information than women,” Mr Nasidi said in a statement.

He said the researchers surveyed 737 respondents across nine local government areas, providing insights into radio engagement patterns in the state.

Mr Nasidi added that the study found that young people make up a large proportion of listeners, with males preferring sports and entertainment programmes and females tuning in for storytelling content.

“Radio remains deeply embedded in Kano’s media landscape despite the digital revolution. This study sheds light on how people interact with radio and the challenges they face in accessing it,”

“Barriers to listenership persist, with 51.2% of non-listeners citing the lack of radio sets, weak signals, or difficulty using mobile phone radio features as key obstacles”, Mr Nasidi stated.

He said the challenges are more pronounced among rural women, reflecting economic and technological limitations. He added that behavioural factors, including time constraints and shifting media preferences, accounted for 48.8 per cent of non-listening.

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The study examined preferred listening devices, showing that traditional radio sets and offline mobile phone radios each account for 48 per cent of listenership.

Mr Nasidi said the study found that online radio platforms are underutilised, partly due to weak signals in rural areas such as Jita Dutse in the Tudun Wada Local Government Area.

He added that the study also found that peak radio listenership occurs in the morning and evening, with 36 per cent of respondents tuning in throughout the day. In rural areas, women often listen passively to programmes selected by their husbands, limiting their engagement with preferred content.