THE CHURCH UTILITY OF ICTS IN NIGERIA AMID COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC

Abstract

The Church in Nigeria has responded to the Covid-19 global pandemic via Information and communication technology (ICT) devices and applications. ICTs have changed, the   old ways of doing things in all sectors of human endeavour. The church has since shared in the benefits and challenges that are associated with the utility of ICTs; but this has been increased with the upsurge of Coronavirus disease around the world. Covid-19 is a contagious disease which currently ravaging the world over. The findings showed that churches around the world are using ICT platforms for worship, prayer, and dissemination of information among her members and non-members, particularly on issues of Covid-19, which aim at maintaining physical distance and control the spread of the disease. This paper used historical and phenomenological methods of research. This paper determined the extent to which churches in Nigeria are effectively utilizing ICTs in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic. The paper also revealed the obvious constraints face among many churches and Nigerians on the use of ICTs in the fight against coronavirus disease; as many of churches and persons in Nigeria would not afford the ICT devices and applications.  This paper therefore proffered recommendations on how Nigeria’s churches would contribute to curb the spread of Covid-19, and the same time, worship their God.