As several countries were experiencing unprecedented economic slowdowns due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, small business enterprises started adapting to digital technologies for business transactions. However, in Africa, particularly Nigeria, COVID-19 pandemic resulted to some financial crisis that impacted negatively on the sustainability of small and medium-sized (SMEs) businesses. Thus, this study examined the role of social media on selected SMEs in Nigeria in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to several lock downs in a bid to curtail the spread of the virus. Cross-sectional survey research design was used alongside convenience population sampling techniques. The population was categorised based on selected SMEs businesses, while a quantitative research approach was adopted, and primary data were collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaires were administered to owners and operators of SMEs in Ikotun and Ikeja areas of Lagos State, Nigeria. A total of 190 questionnaires were distributed, where 183 usable responses were analysed. The findings of the study show that SMEs were aware of the usefulness of social media to their businesses as they largely leveraged it in conducting their businesses during the national lockdowns. The study recommended that labour/trade unions should sensitise and encourage business owners on the benefits of continuous use of social media in carrying out their business transactions.

翻译：随着2020年初新冠疫情爆发导致多国遭遇前所未有的经济放缓，小型企业开始适应数字技术以进行商业交易。然而，在非洲，尤其是尼日利亚，新冠疫情引发了一系列金融危机，对中小型企业的可持续性产生了负面影响。因此，本研究考察了在新冠疫情高峰期（该国为遏制病毒传播而实施多次封锁期间）社交媒体对尼日利亚特定中小企业的作用。研究采用横截面调查研究设计，并结合便利人口抽样技术。人口根据选定的中小企业进行分类，采用定量研究方法，并通过问卷收集原始数据。问卷发放给尼日利亚拉各斯州伊科通和伊凯贾地区的中小企业所有者及经营者。共发放190份问卷，其中183份有效回复被纳入分析。研究结果表明，中小企业意识到社交媒体对其业务的实用性，并在全国封锁期间广泛利用其开展业务。研究建议，劳工/工会组织应提高企业主对持续使用社交媒体进行商业交易益处的认识并予以鼓励。