Assessment of Public Relations Practice in Nigerian Banking Sector: A Case Study of First Bank Nigeria

This study assesses the public relations strategies, tools, and effectiveness of First Bank Nigeria as a case study for examining PR practice in the Nigerian banking sector. Public relations plays a critical role in building and maintaining the reputation, customer trust, and stakeholder relationships that financial institutions depend upon, particularly in an era of heightened consumer awareness and digital media scrutiny. This study uses a mixed-method design combining document analysis of First Bank's annual reports, press releases, corporate social responsibility publications, and social media communications from 2020 to 2023, supplemented by structured interviews with 12 PR professionals within the bank and 200 customer questionnaire responses in Lagos branches. PR tool effectiveness, corporate image perception, and crisis communication responsiveness are assessed. Findings reveal that First Bank employs a comprehensive PR toolkit including corporate social responsibility, digital media engagement, press releases, and community relations. Corporate social responsibility programmes, particularly educational and health initiatives, generate the most positive brand perception among customers, with 76 percent of respondents associating the bank with community development. Digital PR through social media is highly valued by customers under 40 but less impactful for older customer segments. The 2020 management crisis demonstrates limitations in the bank's crisis communication responsiveness. The study concludes that First Bank's PR practice is sophisticated but needs stronger crisis communication planning. It recommends proactive crisis communication protocols and expanded rural community engagement.

Keywords: public relations, banking sector, First Bank, corporate image, Nigeria.