Strategic Planning and Business Performance Among Commercial Banks in Kaduna State

This research investigates the relationship between strategic planning practices and business performance among commercial banks operating in Kaduna State, Nigeria's North West geopolitical zone. Strategic planning enables organisations to align internal resources with external market dynamics, and its systematic application in the banking sector is considered essential for sustaining competitive advantage. This study employs a survey research design with data obtained from 105 bank managers and strategic planning officers drawn from eight commercial banks. A structured questionnaire served as the primary data collection tool, with analysis conducted using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The study examines four strategic planning components: environmental scanning, goal formulation, strategy implementation, and performance evaluation, relating each to financial and operational performance indicators. Results show that environmental scanning and performance evaluation practices exhibit the strongest positive associations with overall bank performance. Goal formulation was found to be the most inconsistently practised component, with many branches lacking clearly communicated performance targets. The study also highlights the role of leadership commitment and employee involvement in determining the effectiveness of strategic planning processes. These findings are consistent with recent empirical literature on strategic management in Nigerian financial institutions. Recommendations include training branch managers on strategic tools, improving inter-departmental communication, and formalising annual strategic reviews. This study contributes to the management literature on banking sector strategy in Nigeria's North West region. Keywords: strategic planning, business performance, commercial banks, Kaduna State, competitive advantage.