Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Influencer Marketing has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with consumer purchase intention. This growing interest reflects the recognition that influencer marketing does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria.

Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While influencer marketing is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on consumer purchase intention within Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to influencer marketing are helping or hindering consumer purchase intention — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Influencer Marketing on consumer purchase intention in Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which influencer marketing influences consumer purchase intention within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with influencer marketing in relation to consumer purchase intention.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing influencer marketing in order to improve consumer purchase intention.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of influencer marketing on consumer purchase intention in Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does influencer marketing influence consumer purchase intention within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with influencer marketing in relation to consumer purchase intention?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize influencer marketing in order to improve consumer purchase intention?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around consumer purchase intention. For managers and practitioners within Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria, the study provides practical insight into how influencer marketing can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on marketing by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to an examination of Influencer Marketing and its relationship with consumer purchase intention within the context of Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria. It reflects a clearly defined scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.