Availability and Utilization of Institutional Repositories among Students in Tertiary Institutions in South-South Nigeria

This study aimed to investigate the availability and utilization of institutional repositories (IRs) among students in selected public tertiary institutions in South-South Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of availability on utilization, determine the extent of utilization, identify challenges affecting availability and utilization, and ascertain differences between availability and utilization of IRs. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and was conducted in five public tertiary institutions that benefited from the 2025 TETFund digitization equipment across Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Edo, and Cross River States. The population comprised 385 final-year Computer Science students in the 2024/2025 academic session, and a census sampling technique was employed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The instrument was validated through trial testing on 20 students outside the study area, and reliability was established using Cronbach’s Alpha, yielding a coefficient of 0.84. Data were collected directly from respondents and analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer research questions. In contrast, independent and dependent t-tests were used to test hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that availability significantly influenced utilization, utilization was moderate, and infrastructural and awareness challenges hindered effective use of IRs. It was recommended, among others, that tertiary institution administrators strengthen the development and maintenance of institutional repositories by providing adequate funding, reliable internet connectivity, and a stable power supply. Functional infrastructure is necessary to ensure consistent access and sustainability.