The study examined the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on customer continuous patronage and recommendation as indicators of retention in the Nigerian banking sector. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Primary data used for the study were gathered through a wellstructured questionnaire administered on 330 small business owners selected through multi-stage sampling technique. Data collected were analysed with the aid of percentages and Chi-square. The results indicated that education attainment, type of business and income generated were the significant socio-demographic characteristics of small business owners influencing customer retention in the banking sector in Nigeria. The study concluded that customers’ educational attainment, type of business and income earned significantly and positively influenced customer retention in the banking sector in Nigeria. It recommends therefore that bankers and managers of other financial institutions should endeavour to improve on their customer attraction and retention strategies by paying more attention to the sociodemographic distribution of customers and provision of schools. This is with a view to updating and broadening the knowledge of the customers in the area of business management and finance.

Keywords : Continuous Patronage, Customer Retention, Recommendation, Small Scale Business