Human Resource Management Practices and Staff Retention in Non-Governmental Organisations in Sokoto State

This research examines the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices and staff retention in non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in Sokoto State, Nigeria's North West geopolitical zone. NGOs in Nigeria play critical roles in humanitarian service delivery, development programming, and community capacity building. However, high staff turnover remains a persistent challenge that undermines programme continuity and institutional knowledge. This study employs a survey research design with data collected from 110 programme staff and HR officers across twelve NGOs in Sokoto metropolis. Structured questionnaires served as the data collection instrument, and analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The study examines six HRM dimensions: recruitment quality, compensation fairness, training opportunities, performance appraisal systems, employee welfare, and organisational recognition. Results reveal that compensation fairness and training opportunities exert the strongest influence on staff retention intentions, followed by performance appraisal transparency. Poor recognition practices and limited career development pathways were identified as the primary drivers of voluntary turnover among programme staff. The study recommends that NGOs in Sokoto adopt competitive compensation benchmarking, formalise career development frameworks, and institutionalise recognition programmes to improve retention outcomes. These findings contribute to the limited management literature on NGO workforce dynamics in North West Nigeria. Keywords: human resource management, staff retention, NGOs, Sokoto State, turnover.