Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Single Parenting has emerged as a critical factor shaping social trust among neighbours 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 single parenting relates to social trust among neighbours 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 single parenting, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with social trust among neighbours, particularly within Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about single parenting without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect social trust among neighbours. 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 Single Parenting on social trust among neighbours in Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which single parenting influences social trust among neighbours within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with single parenting in relation to social trust among neighbours.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing single parenting in order to improve social trust among neighbours.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of single parenting on social trust among neighbours in Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does single parenting influence social trust among neighbours within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with single parenting in relation to social trust among neighbours?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize single parenting in order to improve social trust among neighbours?

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 social trust among neighbours. For managers and practitioners within Selected Commercial Banks in Nigeria, 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 social trust among neighbours within the context of Selected Commercial Banks in 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.