Information needs and seeking behaviour of sand loaders in Etche Local Government Area

The sand mining industry serves as a vital economic driver, providing employment opportunities and contributing to infrastructure development.However, the information needs and seeking behaviour of sand loaders, who are integral but seems to be poorly understood.The study therefore, investigated information needs and seeking behaviour of sand loaders in Etche Local Government Area.This study employed qualitative approach.The population of the study was sand loaders in Etche Local Government Area.Accidental sampling technique was utilized to select 24 sand loaders in Etche Local Government.A structured interview was used to gather data from the respondents.Due to low literacy level among the sand loaders, the researcher chose interview method.However, questionnaires as designed were printed in line with the structured interview.The researcher filled in the questionnaires as the participants responded to the questions.The data was analysed using simple percentage.The study revealed that the information needs of sand loaders were safety, market trends, pricing, and legal requirements and government policy.The information seeking behaviour included the sources consulted and the frequently consulted sources which showed that friends and colleagues, social networks, industry associations, and market reports were the frequently consulted sources while government agencies were rarely consulted.The factors that influenced the information-seeking behavior included information literacy skills, level of education, access to technology, geographical location socio-economic status and access to technology.The challenges faced by sand loaders regarding their information-seeking behavior, were technological constraints, poor levels of education, language barriers, lack of information literacy skills, and information hoarding from friends/colleagues.The study recommended among others the digital literacy and access to technology and information resources.