This study assessed users’ perceptions of WhatsApp digital platforms as a tool for burial fundraising in Amechi Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State. The study was guided by four objectives: to determine the extent of WhatsApp use for burial fundraising; to examine users’ perceptions of its effectiveness in mobilizing funds; to identify the benefits associated with its use; and to explore the challenges and limitations users encounter. The study was anchored on the Uses and Gratifications Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model, which respectively explain why users actively engage with the platform to satisfy specific needs and how perceived usefulness and ease of use shape technology adoption. A survey research design was adopted, with a questionnaire administered to members of three prominent WhatsApp fundraising groups in the study area. Out of a population of 360, a sample size of 186 was derived using the Wimmer and Dominick sample size calculator. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages), while four hypotheses were tested using one-sample t-tests. Findings revealed that WhatsApp is widely, though somewhat inconsistently, used for burial fundraising in the area. Users generally perceive the platform as convenient, reasonably accountable, and effective in mobilizing contributions and convening community members. Key benefits identified include wide reach and accessibility, cost-effectiveness, instant information sharing, and ease of use. However, users also reported significant challenges, including digital literacy barriers, internet connectivity issues, message overload, and concerns about trust and fraud. All four null hypotheses were rejected, confirming statistically significant relationships between WhatsApp use, perceived effectiveness, associated benefits, and challenges on the one hand, and burial fundraising outcomes on the other. The study concludes that WhatsApp plays a significant role in reshaping communal burial fundraising practices in Enugu South LGA and recommends measures to strengthen transparency, digital literacy, and accountability structures to sustain the platform’s effectiveness.
Keywords: Enugu South LGA, WhatsApp, burial fundraising, digital platforms
