Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Single Parenting has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with community development. This growing interest reflects the recognition that single parenting does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States.

Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States 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

While single parenting is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on community development within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to single parenting are helping or hindering community development — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Single Parenting on community development in Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States.
2. To assess the extent to which single parenting influences community development within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with single parenting in relation to community development.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing single parenting in order to improve community development.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of single parenting on community development in Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States?
2. To what extent does single parenting influence community development within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with single parenting in relation to community development?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize single parenting in order to improve community development?

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 community development. For managers and practitioners within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States, the study provides practical insight into how single parenting can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on sociology by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to an examination of Single Parenting and its relationship with community development within the context of Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States. It reflects a clearly defined scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.