Veritatis Gaudium: Multidisciplinary Journal of Postgraduate Studies

Public engagement with Nigeria’s oil and energy governance remains limited despite worsening environmental degradation and rising public frustration. This study examined how popular music shapes youth interpretations of crude oil exploitation, accountability, and sustainability. Using a mixed methods design, it analysed 120 songs released between 2000 and 2025 and incorporated digital survey responses from 842 Nigerian youths. The analysis identified persistent narratives of corruption, environmental injustice, and resource mismanagement across genres, reinforced by visual motifs in music videos. Survey data showed that 68% of respondents learned about oil issues through music and 54% reported heightened emotional engagement with energy debates, with many viewing musicians as more credible communicators than policymakers. The study found that music functions as both a reflective register of public frustration and a generative space for energy literacy, revealing a culturally resonant and underused pathway for strengthening public awareness and supporting more participatory energy governance in Nigeria.

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