Strategic Communication for Corporate Change Management in Nigerian Financial Institutions

Change communication during organisational restructuring, technology adoption, and policy transitions is a critical professional function in Nigerian financial institutions, where employee engagement and customer communication management directly affect service continuity and reputational outcomes. This study examined strategic communication practices during major change management processes in Nigerian financial institutions. A qualitative professional study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 16 change management and internal communications professionals from six commercial banks and two pension fund administrators across Lagos, Abuja, and Ibadan. Interview data covered communication planning for change initiatives, employee communication channels and frequency, leadership communication responsibilities, resistance management, and measurement approaches. Thematic analysis was applied. Results showed that formal change communication plans were developed in only four of eight organisations reviewed for major recent change initiatives. CEO-authored email communication was the most widely used senior leadership communication tool for major change announcements. Middle management communication skills gaps were identified as the most significant change communication barrier by 13 of 16 respondents. Customer-facing communication during change processes was managed separately from internal communication in all eight organisations, with varying degrees of coordination. Post-change communication effectiveness measurement was conducted in only two organisations. The study recommends that Nigerian financial institutions develop formal change communication frameworks, invest in middle manager communication skills training, and integrate internal and external change communication planning to ensure message consistency across stakeholder groups.

Keywords: change management communication, financial institutions, corporate communication, internal communication, Nigeria