Crisis Communication and Public Trust During Health Emergencies: Lessons from COVID-19 in Nigeria

This study examines the crisis communication strategies employed by Nigerian public health authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic and their effects on public trust and compliance with health directives, with evidence drawn from Lagos (South West) and Kano (North West). Effective crisis communication is central to government legitimacy and public cooperation during health emergencies, yet the Nigerian government's communication response to COVID-19 generated mixed public reactions. A professional survey design is used, collecting data from 195 health communication officers, media practitioners, health workers, and members of the public in both cities. Quantitative data are analysed using descriptive statistics and correlation, while qualitative responses are subjected to content analysis. Covello's Stakeholder Involvement Framework and the Social Amplification of Risk Framework (SARF) jointly provide the theoretical grounding. Findings reveal that timely, consistent, and culturally adapted messaging generated higher compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions, while contradictory messages from political leaders and health officials eroded public trust in official channels. Social media misinformation, religious resistance, and the perceived socioeconomic costs of lockdown measures significantly undermined behavioural compliance. Recommendations include the development of a national pandemic communication protocol, pre-deployment of community health ambassadors in high-density areas, and the professionalisation of health communication units within state ministries of health. Keywords: crisis communication, public trust, COVID-19, health emergency, Nigeria.