A Systematic Review of Social Media Research in Ghana: Gaps and Future Research Avenues

Abstract

The emergence of internet-based communities, popularly known as social media, has transformed communication drastically. Due to its importance, scholars have written on the subject within the Ghanaian context. However, the literature remains fragmented without knowledge of its current state, gaps, and opportunities for future research. To address this, we synthesised 29 peer-reviewed articles in academic databases from 2013 to 2023. Through a systematic literature review, we observed that social media research in Ghana had been underpinned by the quantitative approach at the expense of the others. Likewise, the most explored theme is Social Media and Politics, whereas the least is Health Communication and Social Media. Based on the gaps identified, we made recommendations for future research.