Communication plays a key role in the creation, gathering and sharing of information that can influence people to adopt malaria prevention behaviours. However, content of such information has not been sufficiently studied to know their suitability. This study therefore investigated the suitability and recall of radio jingles for malaria control among rural people in south-west Nigeria. Survey, focus group discussion and content analysis were employed as instruments for the sturdy. Survey questionnaires were administered on 2,120 rural residents selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure in 10 local government areas covering Osun and Oyo states, there were 16 FGD sessions in eight local government areas while six radio jingles were content anaylsyed based on eight content categories adapted for the study. Two of the jingles were considered not funny enough to attract attention, two were considered not sensitive to gender and two were adjudged as not sensitive to the culture of the audience. Overall, one of the jingles which had the highest frequency of rejection was adjudged as not suitable for use among the rural audience. The frequency of recall of the jingles by respondents was very low because financial constraints and lack of coordination among. Assistant Director and, Head of Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilisation (ACSM) stakeholders hindered regular airing of radio jingles. There is need for producers to pay closer attention to the sensitivity of prospective audience to gender and cultural issues in the production of radio jingles on malaria control. Also, stakeholders in the malaria control initiative should work closely together to achieve better results in the airing of radio jingles in their respective states.

Keywords: Radio jingles, malaria, rural people, Nigeria.