Rethinking Institutional Repositories at Nigerian Universities:  A Competitive Intelligence and No-Code Approach

Yacob Haliso; John Henry Chukwudi

doi:10.70112/ajist-2026.16.2.4447

Authors

Yacob Haliso Department of Information Resources Management, Babcock University, Ogun State, Nigeria
John Henry Chukwudi Department of Information Resources Management, Babcock University, Ogun State, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70112/ajist-2026.16.2.4447

Keywords:

Competitive intelligence, Institutional Digital Repository, Research, Academic Library, NUC accreditation, digital scholarship, Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD)

Abstract

Institutional repositories (IRs) support the preservation, accessibility, and visibility of scholarly outputs in universities. However, their development in Nigerian universities remains inconsistent, with activities often driven by accreditation requirements and policy directives. Challenges include irregular content updating, limited faculty participation, usability constraints, and weak integration with academic processes. This study examines issues affecting the sustainability and usability of institutional repositories, explores the application of competitive intelligence (CI) to repository development, and proposes a CI-driven approach incorporating no-code processes. An exploratory qualitative approach was adopted using secondary literature and policy documents on competitive intelligence, institutional repositories, digital libraries, and open-access systems. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring issues and develop the proposed framework. The analysis identified environmental scanning, benchmarking, continuous content development, faculty participation, usability, and policy alignment as key areas for sustainable repository development. A four-layer CI-driven framework comprising strategic input, repository development, research visibility and accessibility, and institutional alignment was proposed. No-code workflows were identified as a potential means of simplifying content submission and supporting continuous repository updating. Competitive intelligence provides a strategic basis for repositioning institutional repositories beyond accreditation and compliance towards continuous knowledge management. Integrating CI with simplified repository workflows may strengthen scholarly visibility, accessibility, and sustainability in Nigerian universities.

References

Adenekan, F. N., Diyaolu, B. O., & Rahman, D. A. (2024). Towards adoption of competitive intelligence in marketing of library services in public university libraries in Southwestern Nigeria. Journal of Library Services and Technologies, 6(1), 224–234. https://doi.org/10.47524/jlst.v6i1.225.

Adesina, O. F., Ambali, Z. O., Laaro, M. D., & Oyedokun, T. T. (2022). Incorporating strategic management and competitive intelligence into library practice. International Research Journal of Science, Technology, Education, and Management, 2(2), 131–138. https://irjstem.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IRJSTEM-Volume2_No2_Paper13.pdf.

Adewole-Odeshi, E., & Ezechukwu, C. O. (2020). An analytical study of open-access institutional repositories in Nigerian universities. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal), 3884. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/3884.

Ajani, Y. A., & Oladokun, B. D. (2026). Reinventing academic libraries via intelligent technologies: Bridging the knowledge gap for the promotion of information access. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 46(2), 228–239. https://doi.org/10.14429/djlit.21120.

Akidi, J. O., Benson, O. V., & Udensi, F. I. (2025). Journal of Applied Information Science and Technology 18(2) 2025. Journal of Applied Information Science and Technology, 18(2). https://www.jaistonline.org/18vol2/13.pdf.

Ambali, Z., Adesina, O., Oyedokun, T., & Medinat, L. D. (2022). Integrative review of literature on competitive intelligence as a catalyst for enhanced and electronic library service delivery. Kütüphane Arşiv ve Müze Araştırmaları Dergisi, 3(2), 129–136. https://doi.org/10.29228/lamre.63387.

Asadi, S., Abdullah, R., Yah, Y., & Nazir, S. (2019). Understanding institutional repository in higher learning institutions: A systematic literature review and directions for future research. IEEE Access, 7, 35242–35263. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2897729.

Ayinde, L., Ebiefung, R., & Oladokun, B. D. (2026). Adoption of artificial intelligence in academic libraries: A systematic review of current practices, challenges, and research opportunities. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 52(1), 103185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2025.103185.

Bakrin, S. F., & Adeyeye, S. V. (2023). NUC accreditation exercises and acquisition of information resources by private university libraries in Oyo and Osun States. Fountain of Knowledge: Journal of Library and Information Science (FKJOLIS), 9(1). https://fkjolis.org/fkjolis/article/view/54.

Diyaolu, A. M. (2019). The role of competitive intelligence in the provision of quality information services. Library Philosophy and Practice, 1–9. https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/libphilprac/2480/.

Doty, J., Kowalski, M. T., Nash, B. C., & O’Riordan, S. F. (2015). Making student research data discoverable: A pilot program using Dataverse. Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, 3(2), eP1234. https://doi.org/10.7710/2162-3309.1234.

Ezema, I. J. (2013). Local contents and the development of open access institutional repositories in Nigeria university libraries. Library Hi Tech, 31(2), 323–340. https://doi.org/10.1108/07378831311329086.

Ezema, I. J., & Eze, J. U. (2024). Status and challenges of institutional repositories in university libraries in South-East Nigeria: Implications for visibility and ranking of Nigerian universities. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 50(2), 102834. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0099133323001738.

Ifijeh, G., Adebayo, O., Izuagbe, R., & Olawoyin, O. (2018). Institutional repositories and libraries in Nigeria: Interrogating the nexus. Journal of Cases on Information Technology, 20(2), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.4018/JCIT.2018040102.

Igboechesi, G. P., Adigun, T. A., Pobish, P. S., & Angulu, R. K. (2023). Sustaining the relevance of institutional repository in academic libraries in Nigeria: A University of Jos perspective. International Journal of Library and Information Science Studies, 9(6), 46–60. https://doi.org/10.37745/ijliss.15/vol9n64660.

Ilori, M. E., & Haliso, Y. (2025). Competitive intelligence and entrepreneurship skills as correlates in marketing library services among academic librarians in Lagos State public universities in Nigeria. African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science, 35(1). https://ajlais.com/index.php/ajlais/article/view/398.

Jimoh, O. I., & Adejobi, A. O. (2026). Artificial intelligence and the future of knowledge preservation: Implications for national security and strategic decision-making in Nigeria. Center of Artificial Intelligence, 1(1). https://centerofsciencepress.com/ai/article/view/39/17.

National Universities Commission. (2022). NUC warehouses 2m repository of resources for the Nigerian university system (NUS). https://www.nuc.edu.ng/nuc-warehouses-2m-repository-of-resources-for-nus/.

National Universities Commission. (2026). ES renews commitment to pursuing NUS roadmap in 2026. https://www.nuc.edu.ng/es-renews-commitment-to-pursuing-nus-roadmap-in-2026/.

Nyambi, E., & Maynard, S. (2012). An investigation of institutional repositories in state universities in Zimbabwe. Information Development, 28(1), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266666911425264.

Olayemi, O. M., Yacob, H., & Olayemi, K. J. (2022). Information driven entrepreneurship: A competitive intelligence approach. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 27(3), 159–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/08963568.2022.2053351.

Oyighan, D., Emojeroh, D., & Offi, G. O. (2025). The impact of digital libraries and online repositories on information access and utilization in academic institutions: Evidence from Nigerian universities. Asian Journal of Information Science and Technology, 15(2), 26–35. https://doi.org/10.70112/ajist-2025.15.2.4353.

Ozibo, R. (2025, September 29). Tinubu makes NERD compliance mandatory for NYSC mobilisation. Nairametrics. https://nairametrics.com/2025/09/29/tinubu-makes-nerd-compliance-mandatory-for-nysc-mobilisation/.

Ram Kumar, S., & Srinivasa Ragavan, S. (2013). Institutional repositories: Assessing their values to the academic community in the college libraries in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu. Asian Journal of Information Science and Technology, 3(1), 67–70. https://doi.org/10.51983/ajist-2013.3.1.2609.

Robinson, J. N., & Ukaegbu, B. C. N. (2024). Internet browsing and Web 2.0 competencies: Key correlates of effective institutional repository management by librarians in federal universities, South-South Nigeria. Asian Journal of Information Science and Technology, 14(1), 32–39. https://doi.org/10.70112/ajist-2024.14.1.4226.

Rothfritz, L., Matthias, L., Pampel, H., & Wrzesinski, M. (2026). Current challenges and future directions for institutional repositories: A systematic literature review. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 77(1), 301–322. https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1002/asi.70016.

Sodipe, O. M. (2026). Transforming Nigerian libraries: Insights from Thailand’s digital library development and best practices. Asian Journal of Information Science and Technology, 16(1), 24–30. https://doi.org/10.70112/ajist-2026.16.1.4409.

Turner, M. E., & Sauer, J. (2022). Faculty awareness and use of an institutional repository at a master’s granting university. Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.31274/jlsc.13875.

Ubogu, J. O. (2022). Electronic resources acquisition policies: Implementation in some selected university libraries in Delta and Edo States, Nigeria. Asian Journal of Information Science and Technology, 12(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.51983/ajist-2022.12.1.2972.