By Emmanuel Afonne
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, has identified key challenges affecting Open Access publishing in Nigerian universities.
Ribadu spoke at the 114th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (AULNU) on Tuesday in Abuja.
He described university libraries as central to academic quality, noting that weak libraries undermine university standards.
“Progress has been made through expanded electronic resources, but funding, infrastructure and utilisation gaps persist,” he said.
According to Ribadu, these gaps hinder universities from keeping pace with global shifts in knowledge production and dissemination.
“Digitalisation and open access have transformed how knowledge is created, accessed and shared.
“However, poor infrastructure, weak internet, unreliable electricity, low digital literacy, policy constraints, including limited institutional support for open access initiatives and research funding models, as major barriers.
“Predatory journals and low-quality publications threaten research integrity and require stronger evaluation capacity,” he said.
Ribadu stressed that open access improves research visibility, global competitiveness and access to publicly funded research.
He called for investment in digital infrastructure, institutional repositories and expanded electronic resources, while emphasising continuous training for librarians and researchers on digital tools, copyright and open access systems.
Ribadu assured stakeholders of the commission’s commitment to strengthening university libraries nationwide.
He urged librarians to adopt practical, collaborative solutions to navigate the transition to open access.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Nigeria, Prof. Chinwe Anunobi, while delivering the keynote speech at the AGM, described open access as a transformative shift in scholarly publishing.
Anunobi who spoke on the theme: “Managing University Libraries in the Era of Open Access Publishing: The Role of a Librarian,” said open access removes financial and legal barriers, enabling free and immediate access to research outputs.
She noted that traditional subscription models restrict knowledge to institutions able to afford rising costs.
According to her, open access enhances visibility, citation impact and knowledge application for development.
She, however, identified funding restructuring, quality assurance and technical infrastructure as major challenges.
“Librarians must guard against predatory publishers and ensure research integrity.
“They must build expertise in repositories, metadata management and digital preservation systems.
“There is a need to also emphasise the need to educate researchers on copyright, licensing and compliance with open access mandates,” Anunobi said.
She, therefore, urged librarians to act as advocates for equity in global knowledge sharing.
In her remarks, the Chairman of AULNU, Prof. Angela Okpala, said libraries remained vital for access and preservation of knowledge.
Okpala, who is the Librarian at the National Open University of Nigeria, noted a shift from traditional systems to open access, saying that such development was driven by rising journal costs and digital innovation.
“AULNU formulates policies and guides the Federal Government and other stakeholders on issues concerning the general development in university libraries in Nigeria,” she said.
She said open access increases availability of research, reduces costs and improves institutional visibility.
Okpala, however, identified poor infrastructure, low awareness and inadequate funding as part of challenges confronting open access publishing in Nigerian universities.
“Other challenges include weak policies, limited institutional support and gaps in librarians’ technical competencies.
“There is a need for increased advocacy, training and investment in digital and research infrastructure, as we strengthen collaboration to speak with one voice on open access development.
“It is important to emphasise the need for institutional repositories and adoption of global research identifiers and librarians must guide researchers on publishing processes and responsible use of emerging technologies,” Okpala said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
