Mentoring in Nigerian University System: Challenges and Prospects

Background: Mentoring is theoretical in meaning and understanding but most importantly it has practical significance. Many universities offer one type of mentoring or the other but this does not apply to universities in Nigeria because mentoring program in Nigerian universities is very remote and has little or no research support. It has challenges and barriers. Objective: Objective of the study is to explore the effect of the state of knowledge in the field of mentoring of Nigerian university students. It is expected to explore the position of the mentor and the mentee in relation to the university, their characteristics and the nature of mentoring relationship without employing the method of analysis which is on the boarder as systematic review and scope of study. Method: Sources for materials were multiple SearchGate was used for literature reviews and data bases to explore formal and informal mentoring programs in Nigerian university education system. References were academic and professional research works were used to attend to objective analysis. Abstracts provided initial support and guide and then tailoring the write up by the sources of relevance. Results: There is documented evidence of benefits of mentoring as a development tool for Higher Education. The results show as well as challenges and barriers. How to mitigate these challenges and barriers to opportunity derivatives have also been identified. Conclusion: The results identified some insight achievements of mentoring in Nigerian University System, although the achievements are is not enough to be celebrated. Therefore, the result of the study is a clarion call for formal establishment of mentoring faculty in the system. Unique Contributions: The study has unveiled potential strategies for raising the productivity of scholars especially early career ones in Nigerian University System. The study has also identified the necessary support required for developing superior mentoring programs that can be imbibed and implemented into institutional culture. Recommendations: A formal policy paper on mentoring program should be instituted in the Nigerian University System by Nigerian University Commission with strong institutional support for implementing the program, participation being mandatory and streamlined into the lecturer’s contract with the University.