Digital Communication Competence for Effective Agriculture and Environmental Awareness in Nigeria

The growing demand for sustainable agricultural and environmental practices in Nigeria requires the effective use of digital communication tools to promote awareness and behavioural change. This study examines the role of digital communication competence in advancing agricultural and environmental awareness, drawing on the Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the Communication Competence Theory as guiding frameworks. The Diffusion of Innovations Theory explains how tools such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and mobile platforms spread across adopter categories in Nigerian communities, while the Communication Competence Theory highlights the linguistic, sociocultural, strategic, and digital skills necessary for interpreting and applying information effectively. Using case illustrations from WhatsApp farmer groups, social media based environmental campaigns, and mobile extension platforms like the e-wallet, the study demonstrates that ICT adoption expands communication channels but is constrained by barriers such as language, low digital literacy, and rural-urban infrastructure gaps. The findings indicate that digital adoption alone is insufficient without communicative competence to ensure that technical information is clear, context-sensitive, and actionable. The study recommends integrating English proficiency and digital literacy into agricultural and environmental curricula, strengthening policy frameworks to prioritize competence, and fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Bridging ICT adoption with communication competence is critical to achieving food security, environmental sustainability, and inclusive rural development in Nigeria.