Abiodun Adewole OKE2024-06-142024-06-142023-12Ph.Dhttps://repository.lcu.edu.ng/handle/123456789/605The dwindling level of job satisfaction and retention among lecturers in colleges of education in Nigeria is disheartening and not only jeopardizes the quality of education but also undermines the foundation upon which our educational system stands. Studies have been done on related issues but little attention has been paid on the contribution of leadership styles and human resources management practices to this dwindling level of job satisfaction and retention among lecturers in colleges of education in Nigeria in general and Oyo State in particular . This study therefore investigated the influence of human resources management practices and leadership styles on job satisfaction and retention of lecturers in colleges of education in Oyo State. A descriptive survey design was used, while three questions were raised and five hypotheses tested at 0.005 level of significance. Lecturers were chosen through intact sampling. The findings revealed that human resources management practices significantly influenced job satisfaction and retention. Also, leadership styles significantly influenced job satisfaction and job retention. The model explained a significant portion of the variance in job satisfaction (85.6%) and job retention (94.7%). Leadership styles accounted for 36.5% of the variance in job satisfaction and 42.0% of the variance in job retention, while human resources management practices accounted for 42.0% of the variance in job satisfaction and 33.3% of the variance in job retention. Overall, lecturers expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs, except for aspects like job autonomy, advancement opportunities, and work hours. They were most satisfied with job security and advancement prospects, while work variety and decision-making were the least satisfying aspects. Although training and development opportunities were viewed positively, feedback on performance and support for skill improvement were lacking. All the leadership styles exhibited moderate levels with limited communication of vision and encouragement of innovative thinking. It is recommended that colleges of education in Oyo State, Nigeria, address areas of job dissatisfaction and improve their human resources management practices. Keywords: Human Resources Management Practices, Leadership Styles, Lecturers’ Job Satisfaction, Retention, Colleges of Education in Oyo state Word Count: 295enHuman Resources Management PracticesLeadership StylesLecturers’ Job SatisfactionRetentionColleges of Education in Oyo stateThesis