The Influence of Free Newspaper Reading Culture on Adult Literacy in Nigeria

Newspapers are sources of information and entertainment but they also function as social institutions. In some Nigerian cities, it is commonplace to see hordes of people gather around newspaper vendor stands, reading newspapers for free and discussing the main stories featured in the papers. This study argues that the practice enhances adult literacy, which is not only the ability to read and write, but also the ability to use language, numbers, images, computers and other basic means to understand, communicate, gain useful knowledge and use the dominant symbols of a culture.

The study also establishes that those who read newspapers for free at the vendors’ standsare adults wholearn useful lessons that enhance their literacy, albeit unintentionally. Those who read newspapers for free at the vendors’ stands do so because they are unable to afford buying at least one newspaper a day, as most of them either earn low income or are job applicants. The study,which was carried out at the CMS area of Lagos State, is hinged on the assumption that institutionalizing and replicating this culture in other parts of Nigeria could serve to enhance adult literacy in the country, which is relatively low compared to the global average.