An Appraisal of Manpower Adequacy of MIS Units in Managing Information in Nigeria Universities

Abstract

This study examines the adequacy of manpower capacity of MIS units for managing information in Nigeria universities. It specifically evaluates the adequacy of manpower in terms of quantity, quality and composition in the universities. To achieve this, the study used multistage sampling technique to arrive at scientific sample for the study. Consequently fifteen (15) universities were sampled for in-depth analysis. Data were collected using structured questionnaire from two groups of respondents; ‘Information Providers’ and ‘Information Users’ upon which this analysis depends. Resultant data were analysed using descriptive statistics, bar chart and Pearson Chi-Square. The study found that there is inadequate manpower quantity that cut across various categories of ICT professions. The specific areas of deficiency reported include Skills, competence and experiences of key MIS staff. It also found that available manpower does not reflect all categories of ICT profession. The study recommends upward review of Manpower capacity. Employment of MIS staff should be based on merit, requisite skill and competence. It also recommends training and retraining of existing staff to improve their performance.

Keywords: Manpower adequacy, MIS, information management and university