FACULTYOFMANAGEMENTSCIENCES

This study examined the relationship between quality customer service and brand perception among commercial bank customers in Benin City, Nigeria. The research focused on four key dimensions of customer service: employee performance, good communication, quick responsiveness, and empathy, assessing their impact on brand perception. A total of 385 questionnaires were distributed to customers within the Benin Metropolis, with 380 successfully retrieved and analyzed. The study adopted a quantitative research design, utilizing descriptive statistics and regression analysis to evaluate the data. The findings reveal that employee performance, quick responsiveness, and empathy have a significant positive relationship with brand perception, indicating that efficient service delivery and customer engagement enhance brand perception. However, good communication does not significantly influence brand perception, suggesting that customers may prioritize service efficiency and personalized interactions over mere information exchange. Based on these findings, the study recommends that commercial banks invest in employee training programs, enhance service responsiveness through technology-driven solutions, and foster a customer-centric approach emphasizing empathy to improve brand perception. Additionally, banks should focus on optimizing service delivery rather than solely improving communication strategies to strengthen their competitive advantage in the banking sector

This study considered the influence of credit risk management on the financial performance of deposit money banks in Nigeria. Data for the study was collected from investigated annual financial report spanning 2020 to 2024. The banks investigated includes First Bank, Access Bank, United Bank for Africa, Wema Bank, Unity Bank, First City Monument Bank, Zenith Bank and Fidelity Bank. The fixed effects and random effects regression procedures were applied on panel data and the Hausman test diagnostic technique was applied on the random effect regression output to determine the most efficient estimate which was selected for analysis. The estimation was carried out using E-view 9.0 econometric software. This study found that credit risk management negatively and significantly influence the financial performance of deposit money banks in Nigeria. Precisely, non-performing loan, loan loss provision among others negatively and signficantly impact the financial performance of deposit money banks. Based on these findings, this study recommends that bank manager should intensify action to minimize the rate of non-performing loan because of the risk it poses to financial performance and that banks should limit the amount set aside as loan loss provision because it diminishes the fund that would have been available for credit creation, thus depressing financial performance.

This study examined the relationship between skill acquisition, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development in Nigeria. The primary objective was to determine how skill development and entrepreneurial activities contribute to economic growth, employment generation, and long-term sustainability. The study adopted a quantitative survey design, and data were collected through structured questionnaires distributed to 333 respondents, out of which 290 were duly completed and analyzed. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including multiple linear regression analysis, was used to test the hypotheses. Findings revealed that skill acquisition has a significant positive effect on sustainable development, implying that individuals equipped with relevant skills contribute meaningfully to economic productivity and poverty reduction. Similarly, entrepreneurship significantly fosters sustainable development through job creation, innovation, and economic diversification. The study further identified key challenges such as limited funding, poor infrastructure, weak government policies, and inadequate access to markets as major barriers to effective skill acquisition and entrepreneurship. Similarly, the research established that strategies such as government support, public-private partnerships, mentorship programs, and entrepreneurship education significantly enhance the impact of skill acquisition and entrepreneurship on sustainable development. Therefore the government and private sector collaborate to provide adequate infrastructure, financial support, and policy frameworks to strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems. The study concludes that skill acquisition and entrepreneurship are critical drivers of sustainable development in Nigeria