Abstract

The study examined the effect of motivation on labour turnover among university lecturers in south western Nigeria. The study sample consisted of 442 lecturers, selected using proportional, stratified, random sampling technique. Data were collected using both primary and secondary sources. The data collected from the survey were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that motivation actually affects the labour turnover of university teachers in South Western Nigeria. The study also found that the motivations available for university teachers in Nigeria are inadequate for their continued stay in the university system. Although, lecturers were relatively more motivated by non-economic factors, the economic incentives available were found to be grossly inadequate for their retention in the university system. It was therefore recommended that both economic and non-economic forms of motivation be employed to keep the university teachers on their job. In order to enhance lecturers’ level of effectiveness, it is recommended that the university system should be adequately equipped with appropriate facilities and funding in order to reduce labour turnover among the university lecturers.