Volume 1 - Issue 4, November - December 2025

Lifelong learning has become an essential strategy for social inclusion, economic participation, and sustainable development, particularly in developing countries where adult literacy and skills gaps persist. Adult education serves as a major pathway for promoting lifelong learning, while mass media provides wide-reaching platforms capable of enhancing awareness, motivation, and participation among adult learners. This study examines the role of mass media in promoting lifelong learning among adult learners in Nigeria. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, combining a questionnaire survey of adult learners with in-depth interviews involving adult education facilitators and media practitioners. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed. The findings reveal that radio remains the most accessible and effective medium for adult learning, followed by television, while digital media offers emerging opportunities constrained by infrastructural and skills-related challenges. Mass media was found to significantly influence awareness of learning opportunities, motivation to enroll, and sustained participation in adult education programmes. However, challenges such as poor electricity supply, high cost of internet services, limited access to digital devices, and low media literacy hinder optimal utilization. The study concludes that mass media plays a critical role in fostering lifelong learning among adult learners in Nigeria and recommends an integrated media strategy that prioritizes accessibility, cultural relevance, and policy coordination to enhance adult education outcomes.