Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Church/Mosque-Based Youth Programs has emerged as a critical factor shaping attitude towards religious pluralism across organizations operating in and around Selected Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how church/mosque-based youth programs relates to attitude towards religious pluralism has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Selected Deposit Money 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

While church/mosque-based youth programs is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on attitude towards religious pluralism within Selected Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria 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 church/mosque-based youth programs are helping or hindering attitude towards religious pluralism — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Church/Mosque-Based Youth Programs on attitude towards religious pluralism in Selected Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which church/mosque-based youth programs influences attitude towards religious pluralism within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with church/mosque-based youth programs in relation to attitude towards religious pluralism.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing church/mosque-based youth programs in order to improve attitude towards religious pluralism.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of church/mosque-based youth programs on attitude towards religious pluralism in Selected Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does church/mosque-based youth programs influence attitude towards religious pluralism within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with church/mosque-based youth programs in relation to attitude towards religious pluralism?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize church/mosque-based youth programs in order to improve attitude towards religious pluralism?

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 attitude towards religious pluralism. For managers and practitioners within Selected Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria, the study provides practical insight into how church/mosque-based youth programs can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on religious studies 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 PhD study confines itself to Selected Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria, focusing specifically on how church/mosque-based youth programs relates to attitude towards religious pluralism within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.