International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: With the expansion of social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube, religious leaders have increasingly used these channels to disseminate health information, spiritual guidance, and public health advisories. While faith-based messages can provide emotional reassurance and reinforce collective identity, their behavioural efficacy is uncertain.
Objective: This study investigates the influence of faith-based communication on perception and behaviours during health crises among Christians in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Method: Adopting a descriptive survey design, the study focused on an estimated population of 2,250 Christians drawn from four major denominations namely Daystar Christian Centre, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and the Roman Catholic Church, all in Ikosi–Isheri LCDA. Using purposive sampling, 178 respondents who actively engage with church-based social media platforms were selected. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire with a consistency coefficient of 0.79 and analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages. Results: The findings revealed that faith-based messages provide emotional support and foster trust, but their direct impact on concrete health decisions such as adherence to COVID-19 protocols and vaccination uptake remains limited. While a significant minority reported that faith shaped their pandemic behaviours more than government information, the majority relied on official health authorities for decisive action. These results highlight both the opportunities and constraints of faith-driven communication in health crises.
Conclusion: The study concludes that faith-based communication exerts stronger influence on psychological reassurance and perception framing than on evidence-based health behaviour adoption. To this end, religious platforms therefore function more effectively as trust-building and emotional support systems than as primary drivers of compliance with public health measures.
Unique Contribution: The study provides empirical evidence clarifying the behavioural limits of faith-driven messaging within a Nigerian crisis context, helping to distinguish perceptual influence from actionable health compliance.
Key Recommendation: Public health managers and policymakers should institutionalise partnerships with religious leaders, equipping them with accurate, science-based information that complement official messaging.