Textual analysis of Covid-19 messages on WhatsApp personal chats and group forums in Nigeria

This study investigated the content of COVID-19 WhatsApp text messages that people cared about and shared on WhatsApp personal chats and group forums in Nigeria. Qualtrics, a web-based survey tool was used to collect and organize study data. Text messages shared over WhatsApp messenger platforms were generated and analyzed for the study. Qualitative content-analysis revealed salient issues of forwarded COVID-19 text messages centered on three categories: COVID-19 health information; Nigerian government’s failure in fixing healthcare infrastructure; and COVID-19 pandemic as consequence of human injustice and God’s judgement. Findings can be utilized to improve infectious disease communication and dissemination strategies in Nigeria. Key Words: COVID-19, WhatsApp, Communication, Misinformation, Social Media. About the Author *Nancin Dadem, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Communication at the College of Humanities and Sciences, Coker University, United States. She investigates the intersections of health, communication, and culture. Her current research centers on the promotion of preventive health behaviors. JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 17, No. 1, April 2025, pp. 144-154 © Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON). Article Citation Dadem, N. (2025). Textual analysis of Covid-19 messages on WhatsApp personal chats and group forums in Nigeria. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 17 (1): 144-154. Full Article Words: 6,154 Pages: 11 To access full article, click on download.