UNIVERSITIES' CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES IMPACTS ON HOST COMMUNITIES' DEVELOPMENT IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Local communities have expressed dissatisfaction regarding their exclusion from the community development initiatives of higher education institutions in Ogun State, Nigeria. This study examines the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of higher education institutions for the sustainable development of host communities in Ogun State. The research utilized a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised of a cross-section of Nigerians from various walks of life. The sample consisted of 300 respondents randomly selected from the population including traditional chiefs, community leaders, youth leaders from the local communities, and officials from tertiary institutions in Ogun State. A structured questionnaire labeled: Corporate Social Responsibilities of Tertiary Institutions for Sustainable Community Development of Host Community Scale, r = 0.78 was utilized for data gathering. Mean and standard deviation were utilized to address the research questions, and Pearson Correlation analysis tested the hypotheses at a 0.05 alpha level. The findings indicated that the corporate social responsibilities of tertiary institutions concerning health services and hygiene conditions, along with the advancement of educational development, notably forecasted sustainable community development for the host community. It was determined that higher education institutions have adopted corporate social responsibilities that favorably influenced environmental health, sanitation standards, and improved educational offerings for surrounding communities. It was recommended that tertiary institutions' corporate social responsibilities, should focus more on skills and educational advancement for marginalized individuals, generating job opportunities for the significant population within the local community that faces severe disadvantages.