Corporate Social Responsibility and Customer Brand Loyalty in the Nigerian Telecommunications Industry

This study examines the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and customer brand loyalty in the Nigerian telecommunications industry. Mobile network operators including MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile have invested substantially in CSR programmes ranging from educational scholarships to rural electrification and health campaigns. However, the extent to which these activities translate into measurable loyalty among subscribers has not been adequately studied at the undergraduate level using primary Nigerian data. The study adopts a cross-sectional survey design, targeting mobile phone subscribers in Benin City, Edo State, South South Nigeria. A sample of 280 respondents is selected through stratified random sampling. The questionnaire measures CSR awareness and perception, alongside brand loyalty indicators including switching intention, advocacy, and repeat subscription. Analysis employs Pearson correlation and multiple regression. The research also explores whether brand satisfaction mediates the CSR-loyalty link. Preliminary findings suggest that CSR awareness positively and significantly predicts brand loyalty, particularly when CSR activities are perceived as genuine rather than performative. Subscribers of brands with visible community development initiatives demonstrate stronger emotional attachment and reduced switching inclination. The study provides marketing and communications teams at telecommunications firms with evidence-based guidance on designing CSR strategies that yield measurable loyalty outcomes. It also contributes to the emerging body of CSR-loyalty research in the Nigerian services sector. Keywords: corporate social responsibility, brand loyalty, telecommunications, Benin City, customer retention