Perceived Quality of Business Education Programme and Student Retention in Universities in the North Central Zone of Nigeria

This study examined the relationship between students perceived quality of the Business Education programme and student retention in universities in the North Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Student retention is a critical institutional performance indicator, reflecting the ability of universities to maintain student enrollment from admission through graduation. Perceived programme quality, encompassing curriculum relevance, instructional effectiveness, faculty quality, and resource adequacy, is widely recognized as a predictor of student persistence. This study employed the Service Quality Model adapted for higher education as its theoretical framework. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. The population comprised 2,400 Business Education students across 200, 300, and 400 levels in eight universities in Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau States. A stratified sample of 600 students was drawn. The Business Education Programme Quality Scale and the Student Retention Intention Measure were validated instruments used for data collection. Structural Equation Modeling using PLS-SEM was employed for hypothesis testing. Findings reveal that curriculum relevance and teaching quality are the strongest predictors of retention intention, while administrative service quality has a significant indirect effect mediated by student satisfaction. The study fills a gap in the understanding of retention dynamics in Business Education and recommends that North Central universities should conduct biennial student satisfaction surveys to identify and address quality-related attrition risks. Keywords: programme quality, student retention, business education, North Central Nigeria, Service Quality Model