INFLUENCE OF ICT ACCESS ON ACADEMIC RESEARCH PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Ideally, universities are expected to function within a digitally advanced environment whereadequate ICT access supports high levels of academic research performance. In such asetting, academic staff would have reliable internet connectivity, unrestricted access to digitalacademic resources, and sufficient ICT competencies to effectively conduct researchactivities. This study examined the influence of ICT access on academic researchperformance in Nigerian public universities. A cross-sectional survey research design wasadopted, and data were collected from academic staff across selected public universities inthe North-Central region of Nigeria. The sample size of 418 respondents was determinedusing the Taro Yamane formula, out of which 380 valid responses were analysed. Data werecollected using a structured questionnaire, and reliability was established using Cronbach’sAlpha, while content validity was ensured through expert review. Simple regression analysiswas employed using SPSS version 27 to test the study hypotheses. The findings revealed thatinternet accessibility had a significant positive effect on research productivity. Access todigital academic resources was also found to significantly influence research quality, whileICT skill level significantly affected research efficiency. The study concluded that ICT accessis a key determinant of academic research performance in Nigerian public universities, asimprovements in digital connectivity, resource availability, and user competence collectivelyenhance research output, quality, and efficiency. Based on these findings, the studyrecommended that universities should improve internet infrastructure, expand access todigital academic resources, and provide continuous ICT training for academic staff. Thesemeasures would strengthen research performance and enhance the global competitiveness ofNigerian public universities.