APPLICATION OF CUSTOMER-DRIVEN MARKETING STRATEGIES TO GOVERNMENT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
This study assessed the extent of the application of customer-driven marketing strategies to government housing development programmes in Nigeria, with particular emphasis on the National Housing Fund (NHF) scheme. The study objectives were to ascertain the adequacy of; (i) the application of market segmentation, targeting, differentiation and positioning by the NHF implementers, (ii) the consideration given to the inputs from the intended beneficiaries of the NHF scheme, (iii) the promotional campaigns of the NHF scheme, (iv) the delivery channels of the NHF scheme and (v) the consideration given to the specific affordability needs of the intended beneficiaries in the NHF affordability criteria. The study adopted the survey research method. Various offices of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the implementers of the NHF scheme, were sampled. The Abuja Head Office of the FMBN, the zonal offices in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Enugu, as well as the 19 state/district offices in these zones were studied. The study population comprised 201 management staff (all levels of management) in these offices. A census was carried out, considering the size of the population and the nature of the investigation. Structured questionnaire and interview were used to collect data for this study. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the formulated hypotheses. The hypotheses tests gave rise to the following major findings; that the application of market segmentation, targeting, differentiation and positioning by the NHF implementers is not adequate (Fcal = 95.239, P = 0.000 < 0.05); that the consideration given to the inputs from the intended beneficiaries of the NHF scheme is not adequate (Fcal = 116.009. P = 0.000 < 0.05); that the promotional campaignrs of the NHF scheme are not adequate (Fcal = 43.487, P = 0.000 < 0.05); that the channels for delivering the NHF scheme are not adequate (Fcal = 5.088, P = 0.025 < 0.05) and; that the consideration given to the specific affordability needs of the intended beneficiaries in the NHF affordability criteria is not adequate (Fcal = 73.064; P = 0.000 < 0.05). Following the findings, it is concluded that there is a low level of application of customer-driven marketing strategies in the National Housing Fund (NHF) implementation. In line with the findings and conclusions of this study, it is recommended that the adoption and application of the two models developed in this study, namely, the Customer-driven Marketing Strategies Model for Housing Development Programmes, and the Need–based Housing Affordability Model, will aid the successful implementation of housing development programmes.