Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Influencer Marketing has emerged as a critical factor shaping consumer buying behaviour across organizations operating in and around Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how influencer marketing relates to consumer buying behaviour has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite a growing body of literature on influencer marketing, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with consumer buying behaviour, particularly within Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about influencer marketing without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect consumer buying behaviour. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Influencer Marketing on consumer buying behaviour in Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which influencer marketing influences consumer buying behaviour within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with influencer marketing in relation to consumer buying behaviour.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing influencer marketing in order to improve consumer buying behaviour.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of influencer marketing on consumer buying behaviour in Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does influencer marketing influence consumer buying behaviour within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with influencer marketing in relation to consumer buying behaviour?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize influencer marketing in order to improve consumer buying behaviour?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around consumer buying behaviour. For managers and practitioners within Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria, the study provides practical insight into how influencer marketing can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on marketing by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria, focusing specifically on how influencer marketing relates to consumer buying behaviour within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.