HARNESSING NON-OIL SECTORS FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION IN NIGERIA

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of empathy on Customer patronage of Microfinance banks in Akwa Ibom State. To achieve this objective, the main source of data was through primary sources with the use of a questionnaire. The researcher adopted the survey research design approach and data were collected from 323 respondents drawn from the banks customers’ base. A total number of 295 copies of the questionnaire were retrieved in useable form representing 91.3 percent of data analyzed using the Simple Regression Model (SRM). Data generated from the study were processed using descriptive and inferential statistics and hypothesis tested at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that t empathy had significant influence on customer patronage of Microfinance banks in Akwa Ibom State. Thus, the study recommended that the managers of Microfinance banks should retain employees who can deal with the banks customers in a caring fashion, understand their needs and also have their best interest at heart.