Journal of African Development

The present study examines the role of social influence as a key behavioural driver of online purchase decisions among Generation Z consumers. In the rapidly evolving digital environment, Gen Z is highly exposed to social media platforms, influencer marketing, and user-generated content, which significantly shape their buying behaviour. The study aims to analyse the perception of Gen Z consumers towards social influence factors and to explore the impact of elements such as social media platforms, trending products, online ratings, and user-generated content on their purchasing decisions. A structured questionnaire based on a Likert scale was used to collect primary data from a sample of 157 respondents selected through a random sampling technique. Statistical tools, including the One-Sample t-test, and chi-square testing were applied to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal that all selected social factors have a statistically significant influence on online purchase decisions, with user-generated content and online reviews emerging as the most impactful. The study highlights that Gen Z consumers rely heavily on peer opinions, digital interactions, and social validation while making purchase choices. The research contributes to a better understanding of contemporary consumer behaviour and provides valuable insights for marketers to design effective digital strategies targeting Gen Z consumers