Influence of Mentorship Quality on Research Productivity of Lecturers in Public Universities, Lagos State, Nigeria

This study investigated the influence of mentorship quality on the research productivity of lecturers in public universities in Lagos State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, with a population of 3,868 lecturers from four public universities. Using Taro Yamene's formula, a sample of 363 lecturers was selected through proportional sampling, and 277 usable questionnaires were analyzed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from Kram's Model of Mentorship Functions, measuring career support and psychosocial support on a 4-point scale. Descriptive statistics and simple linear regression were employed for analysis. Findings revealed a high level of mentorship quality (grand mean = 3.00) and a high level of research productivity (grand mean = 3.13). Mentorship quality had a significant positive influence on research productivity (R = .614, R² = .378, β = .614, p < .001), explaining 37.8% of the variance. The study concluded that effective mentorship is a critical driver of research productivity among lecturers. Recommendations include formalizing mentorship structures and integrating mentorship effectiveness into staff evaluation criteria.