Crisis management in the digital era: Exploring the application of Situational Crisis Communication Theory propositions in managing MTN Nigeria SIM registration crisis

Abstract

Between October 26, 2015, to June 10, 2016, the Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN Nigeria) SIM card registration crisis presented a good example for exploring the propositions of the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) in a crisis in Nigeria. MTN Nigeria was fined US$5.2 million (N1.4 trillion) for not deregistering the inappropriately registered SIMs on its network. At that time, the fine became the largest single fine issued to a telecommunication company globally. Based on a pilot study which showed elements of the SCCT in media reports on the crisis, this paper used the qualitative case study to examine how the SCCT strategies were applied. Three key informants, who are public relations professionals and worked directly with the public relations firms and an internal corporate services manager at MTN Nigeria were purposively selected for the interviews while content analysis was used to identify and provide evidence of media outputs and outcomes that reflected the application of the SCCT. Findings from the study showed that reminder, ingratiation, excuse, apology, compensation, were used by MTN Nigeria in managing the crisis at different points of conversation. The findings also showed that the application of each strategy was situational and did not necessarily follow a sequence of primary and secondary applications. It was concluded that the SCCT propositions and strategies for crisis management were used during the crisis to manage the narratives in favour of MTN Nigeria.