The Situational Theory of Problem Solving (STOPS) has been widely applied in public relations, strategic communication, and health communication research to explain when and why people take communicative action in response to problems. However, its application in Nigeria remains limited. This study applies STOPS to examine citizens’ communication behaviours during the COVID-19 lockdown, focusing on two perceptual variables of involvement recognition and constraint recognition and their influence on pro- and anti-government megaphoning, as well as the implications of these behaviours for compliance with government lockdown regulations. An online survey was conducted with 401 respondents aged 16 years and above across six states in Southwest Nigeria. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The results show that higher involvement recognition increased anti-government megaphoning and reduced pro-government megaphoning, while higher constraint recognition increased pro-government megaphoning and reduced anti-government megaphoning. Furthermore, pro-government megaphoning was positively associated with compliance with lockdown regulations, whereas anti-government megaphoning did not significantly predict compliance. These findings confirm the utility of STOPS in predicting communication behaviours in the Nigerian context and extend its application to crisis communication in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study highlights the importance of citizens’ perceptions in shaping their communication about government actions, particularly during health emergencies. It also suggests that government communication strategies that reduce perceived constraints and encourage citizen engagement may foster greater compliance with public policies.
Vol. 4, No 3, pp. 123-132.