Enhancing University Administration through ICTs in Nigeria

The importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in enhancing university administration cannot be over-emphasised. However, there are many challenges facing the use of ICTs in the effective and efficient delivery of services in universities in Nigeria. The main objective of the paper is, therefore, to examine the challenges and proffer sustainable solutions. The General System Theory was adopted as the theoretical framework for the study. The research is descriptive and quantitative. Sources of data were primary and secondary while a well-structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from one hundred and seventy four (174) respondents, randomly selected out of an estimated population of three thousand, five hundred (3,500) ICT users, comprising academic, non-teaching staff and students from three universities (federal -1, state -1 and private -1) in Ogun State, reputed to be the only state with the highest number of universities in Nigeria. Relevant hypotheses were tested and the data were presented using tables and percentages. Chi-Square and ANOVA statistical tools were used to analyse the data. Findings show that the challenges facing the use of ICTs in the universities include high cost of ICTs, low computer-literacy among university staff and students, epileptic power supply, absence of ICT policies and poor political-will to implement such policies, where they exist. The paper concludes that the prospects are bright and that more universities would embrace the use of ICTs in their operations when the identified challenges are tackled