This study examined the relationship between job performance and job satisfaction among fashion designers in Northeast Nigeria. The study was motivated by the growing importance of the fashion industry as a key component of the informal and creative economy, contributing significantly to employment generation, youth empowerment, and economic diversification in Nigeria. Despite its importance, fashion designers in the region face challenges such as inadequate capital, poor working conditions, limited access to modern equipment, and irregular patronage, which may affect both their job performance and satisfaction. The study adopted a correlational research design to determine the nature and extent of the relationship between job performance and job satisfaction among fashion designers. The population consisted of 2,460 registered fashion designers in Northeast Nigeria, while a sample of 344 respondents was selected using Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination and a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Job Performance and Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (JPJSQ) and analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that fashion designers in Northeast Nigeria generally experience a high level of job satisfaction and job performance. Intrinsic job satisfaction factors such as creativity, achievement, and independence were rated higher than extrinsic factors such as working conditions and institutional support. The study also established a significant positive relationship between job satisfaction and job performance. Furthermore, both intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction factors were found to significantly influence job performance, with intrinsic factors exerting a stronger effect. The study concluded that job satisfaction is a strong predictor of job performance among fashion designers in Northeast Nigeria. It recommended improved working conditions, access to financial support, skills development programs, and policy interventions to strengthen the creative industry and enhance productivity.

Keywords: Job performance; job satisfaction; intrinsic motivation; extrinsic factors; fashion designers; Northeast Nigeria; informal economy; creative industry.