International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Reviews Vol.7 No.2, August 2017; p.150 – 157, (ISSN: 2276-8645) 150 SOCIO-ECONOMIC NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF KWALKWALAWA COMMUNITY AND USMANU DANFODIYO UNIVERSITY, SOKOTO COMMUNITY SERVICES YUSUF, MURTALA AKNABI (PhD) Department of Adult Education and Extension Services, Faculty of Education and Extension Services, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto-Nigeria muritalayusuf2004@yahoo.com, murtalayusuf2004@gmail.com, akanbi.murtala@udusok.edu.ng +2348039647234 Abstract The study used descriptive survey research design to assess socio-economic needs of Kwalkwalawa community and Usamanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto community services. The population of the study was 958 households. A sample size of 156 heads of households was chosen using convenience sampling technique. The research instrument used for the study was an adapted version of Udai Pareek and G. Trivedi (1964) Socio-Economic Status Scale for Rural Community (SSRC) complemented with observation and personal interaction with the community leaders. The Scale was validated by experts in Adult Education and Sociology of Education in the Faculty of Education and Extension Services, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto and the researcher tried-tested the Scale on some households outside the sample which yielded a reliability co-efficient of .87. Data collected via Socio-Economic Status Scale for Rural Community were analyzed through frequency and percentage and quantitative data via personal interaction and observation complemented the quantitative analyses. The findings of the study revealed that majority of households in Kwalkwalawa community belong to lower middle socio-economic class. The findings also results revealed that members of Kwalkwalawa community require the community service of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto in the following areas in these orders: provision of primary school education, opening of Early Childhood Care and Education, public enlightenment on personal hygiene and environmental sanitation, training on modern method of fishing, Adult Literacy Class, awareness raising on the value of modern education, provision of secondary school education, training on livestock management, alternative income generating programmes, enlightenment on pollution control, training on business skills, training on saving technology, financial management and training on group formation dynamics. The study concludes that socio-economic status of members of Kwalkwalawa community can be improved if Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto gives the Community special attention in her community services mandate via provision of the identified assessed needs. Keywords; Socio-economic needs, Rural Community, Community Leaders and Basic Social Amenities Introduction The goal of University Education in Nigeria as stated in the Nigeria National Policy on Education (2013) is that university shall make optimum contribution to national development by intensifying and diversifying its programmes for the development of high level manpower within the context of the needs of the nation. In pursuance of this goal, universities are expected to provide services such as effective teaching, research and community services for the betterment of individuals and societal development (Yusuf & Sholagberu, 2016). Traditionally, universities have supported three strands to their mission: research, teaching and community service. It can be argued that the third mission is the potential bridge between the university as an ivory tower and the communities whose development needs it should be prioritizing. Universities are often criticized for their ivory tower image with limited impact on the socio-economic environment, and employers have increasingly voiced their concerns about inadequate graduate skills for jobs (Raditloaneng, 2013). The term ‘community service’ is also seen as ‘university third mission’ work, ‘community engagement’, or ‘regional engagement’ (Raditloaneng, 2013). The community service is seen as a social responsibility expected of any organization to render to its host community. The term ‘community’ according to Shittu