Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Succession Planning has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with customer loyalty. This growing interest reflects the recognition that succession planning does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected States in North-Central Nigeria.

Selected States in North-Central 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 succession planning, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with customer loyalty, particularly within Selected States in North-Central Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about succession planning without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect customer loyalty. 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 Succession Planning on customer loyalty in Selected States in North-Central Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which succession planning influences customer loyalty within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with succession planning in relation to customer loyalty.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing succession planning in order to improve customer loyalty.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of succession planning on customer loyalty in Selected States in North-Central Nigeria?
2. To what extent does succession planning influence customer loyalty within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with succession planning in relation to customer loyalty?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize succession planning in order to improve customer loyalty?

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 customer loyalty. For managers and practitioners within Selected States in North-Central Nigeria, the study provides practical insight into how succession planning can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on business administration 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 Succession Planning and its relationship with customer loyalty within the context of Selected States in North-Central Nigeria. 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.