Strategic Human Resource Management and Organizational Effectiveness in Nigerian Universities

This study investigates the relationship between strategic human resource management practices and organizational effectiveness in selected Nigerian universities spread across different geopolitical zones. Tertiary institutions are increasingly expected to operate with the strategic efficiency of corporate organizations while delivering on their academic mandates. The research adopts a descriptive survey design, targeting human resource directors, faculty heads, and administrative managers of six federal universities spanning the South East, North West, and South South zones. A total of 130 respondents were selected through stratified sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and were analyzed with descriptive statistics and multiple regression. Findings indicate that universities that align HR practices including recruitment, performance appraisal, and training with institutional strategic goals demonstrate significantly higher organizational effectiveness scores across academic output, staff satisfaction, and student experience metrics. The study further reveals that strategic HR planning is often treated as an administrative function rather than a core institutional strategy in many Nigerian universities, limiting its effectiveness. The research concludes that Nigerian universities must elevate strategic HRM to a board-level priority to support institutional transformation and global competitiveness. Recommendations include the development of HRM-strategy integration frameworks and capacity-building workshops for HR directors. Keywords: strategic human resource management, organizational effectiveness, Nigerian universities, HR alignment, institutional strategy.