Abstract
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.
Keywords: Availability, Utilization, Repositories, Awareness
Publication Date: 2026-07-31