Relationship Marketing and Customer Retention in Nigerian Commercial Banks: A Study of First Bank Branches in Port Harcourt

This research examines the effect of relationship marketing on customer retention in Nigerian commercial banks, focusing on First Bank of Nigeria branches in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, South South Nigeria. The banking sector in Nigeria has undergone significant reforms, increasing competitive pressure among deposit money banks to retain existing customers while attracting new ones. Relationship marketing, which emphasises long-term customer engagement over transactional interactions, has gained currency as a retention strategy. The study adopts a survey design with 260 bank customers selected through systematic random sampling. A validated questionnaire measures relationship marketing dimensions including trust, commitment, communication, and conflict handling, as well as customer retention indicators. Data analysis employs descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The study also explores how service quality mediates the relationship between relationship marketing and retention outcomes. Preliminary findings suggest that trust and consistent communication are the most significant drivers of customer retention in this banking context. The research highlights the need for branch-level personalisation of services to deepen customer relationships. Findings will assist bank branch managers and marketing teams in crafting retention programmes that are sensitive to the expectations of South South Nigerian consumers. This study adds to the developing body of literature on relationship marketing within the African banking sector and supports practice-driven academic inquiry at the undergraduate level. Keywords: relationship marketing, customer retention, commercial banks, Port Harcourt, trust