Assessment of Internal Communication Quality in Nigerian Federal Parastatals

Effective internal communication in federal parastatals is critical for employee morale, operational coherence, and the implementation of government policy directives, yet the quality of internal communication practices in these organisations has received limited professional attention in Nigerian public administration scholarship. This study assessed internal communication quality in Nigerian federal parastatals, examining four organisations with distinct mandates: National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Communications Commission, National Power Holding Company of Nigeria, and Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission. A professional assessment design was employed, combining structured questionnaires administered to 200 employees across the four organisations (50 per organisation) with semi-structured interviews with 16 communications and HR managers. Assessment dimensions covered downward communication clarity, upward communication openness, lateral communication coordination, communication channel variety, and employee communication satisfaction. Results showed that downward communication from senior management was rated as adequate by only 44.5 percent of employees across all four organisations. Feedback channels for employee upward communication existed formally in all organisations but were perceived as ineffective by 68.5 percent of respondents. Email remained the dominant internal communication channel in three of four organisations, with limited use of intranet platforms. Lateral communication between departments was rated as consistently poor. Communication satisfaction scores correlated significantly with employee engagement levels (r = 0.56; p < 0.001). The study recommends that parastatals invest in intranet communication platforms, employee feedback systems, and communication manager professionalisation through dedicated internal communication training. Keywords: internal communication, federal parastatals, organisational communication, employee communication, Nigeria