Relationship Marketing and Revenue Growth of Microfinance Banks in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

This study examined the influence of relationship marketing on the revenue growth of microfinance banks in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the influence of trust, customer commitment, communication, and conflict handling on revenue growth. A survey research design was adopted. The population comprised 482 employees of licensed microfinance banks in Akwa Ibom State, while a sample of 219 respondents was determined using the Taro Yamane formula. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire validated by experts, while the reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach's Alpha. Descriptive statistics comprising frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used to summarize the data, whereas multiple linear regression analysis was employed to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance using SPSS Version 29.0.The findings revealed that trust (β = 0.351, p < 0.05), customer commitment (β = 0.287, p < 0.05), communication (β = 0.194, p < 0.05), and conflict handling (β = 0.176, p < 0.05) each exerted a positive and significant influence on the revenue growth of microfinance banks. The regression model was statistically significant (F = 132.154, p < 0.05), with the independent variables jointly explaining 71.6% of the variation in revenue growth (R² = 0.716).The study concluded that relationship marketing significantly enhances the revenue growth of microfinance banks by strengthening customer relationships and encouraging repeat patronage. It recommended that microfinance banks should strengthen trust, promote customer commitment, improve communication, and establish effective complaint-handling mechanisms to achieve sustainable revenue growth