The Impact of COVID-19 on Projects and Logistics in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions: A Scoping Review

The smooth functioning of a tertiary institution relies on a multitude of projects and logistical operations, encompassing various aspects such as student registration, healthcare provision, transportation, accommodation management, teaching and learning processes, information dissemination, data collection, and research, among others. Consequently, the implementation of lockdown measures aimed at mitigating the transmission of COVID-19 significantly disrupted projects and logistics in Nigerian tertiary institutions. As a measure to mitigate the transmission of the virus and reduce mortality rates, governments worldwide implemented the closure of schools. This study aims to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on projects and logistics in relation to tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The PICO framework was used to identify the key terms that guided the literature search to identify suitable papers for the scoping review yielding 56 relevant studies and empirical case examples published between 2020 and 2024. Well-established databases which include PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and CINAHL to identify scholarly articles using Search selection. The studies included were selected based on established inclusion and exclusion criteria. The selected studies were critically appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool to ensure that good quality studies were used. Data was extracted from the selected studies and presented in themes and sub-themes. The impact of COVID-19 on tertiary institutions includes the shutdown of educational institutions, the halt of research projects, the disruption of academic schedules, poor learning outcomes, inequitable access to educational opportunities, insufficient or non- existent technology for remote learning, and inability to attend seminars and conferences because the logistics for travelling were affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. The Nigerian government and academic institutions should include digital applications for logistics, projects, and instructional purposes to ensure that there is no disruption in academic activities during public health emergencies such as COVID-19.