University librarians call for measures against unethicalpublishing and predatory journals

The Association of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (AULNU) has voiced concern over the growing number of predatory journals, the spread of misinformation, and unethical publishing practices linked to the expanding use of open‑access publishing in Nigerian higher‑education institutions.

The association issued this warning in a communiqué released on Tuesday, concluding its 114th Bi‑Annual Conference and General Meeting, which took place at the National Universities Commission headquarters from 4 to 7 May 2026.

Entitled “Managing University Libraries in the Era of Open Access Publishing: The Role of Librarians,” the conference gathered university librarians, scholars, policymakers, development partners and other stakeholders to discuss the future of academic libraries within the changing global knowledge ecosystem.

According to the communiqué, participants recognised that open‑access publishing is a key driver for democratising knowledge, increasing research visibility and strengthening worldwide scholarly communication among universities and research institutions.

However, they cautioned that the rapid growth of open‑access models also creates opportunities for unethical publishing practices and the misuse of emerging technologies.

The communiqué read: “Participants expressed concern over the proliferation of predatory journals, misinformation, unethical publishing practices, and the improper deployment of Artificial Intelligence in scholarly communication.”

AULNU noted that university libraries are gradually shifting from traditional custodial functions to strategic knowledge‑facilitation roles that include research dissemination, institutional repository management, digital preservation and support for scholarly communication.

“The conference emphasised that modern university libraries must embrace innovation, digital transformation, open science, collaborative research ecosystems, and AI‑enabled service delivery to remain relevant in the knowledge economy,” the association said.

The statement identified several obstacles facing Nigerian universities in the implementation of open‑access publishing, such as inadequate ICT infrastructure, unreliable electricity, insufficient funding, low digital literacy and weak institutional policies.

“Despite the growing relevance of open access publishing, Nigerian universities continue to face challenges including inadequate ICT infrastructure, unstable power supply, insufficient funding, low digital literacy, limited awareness, weak institutional policies, and inadequate support for article processing charges,” the communiqué added.

The association also reaffirmed the importance of professionalism in the management of academic libraries, insisting that only certified librarians registered with the Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria should be appointed as university librarians or heads of academic libraries.

“The association frowned at the appointment of non‑professionally qualified persons as university librarians, noting that such practices undermine professionalism, standards, and effective administration of university libraries in Nigeria,” it stated.

AULNU called on the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and other government agencies to increase support for digital repositories, broadband connectivity, open‑access infrastructure and sustainable scholarly‑communication systems in tertiary institutions.

The association further urged Nigerian universities to develop institutional policies that promote responsible scholarly communication, research integrity and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in research and publishing.

It also resolved to deepen collaboration among Nigerian university libraries to establish sustainable open‑access consortia and to share digital infrastructure aimed at improving research accessibility and digital scholarship nationwide.

The communiqué concluded that university libraries remain central to teaching, learning, research and innovation, emphasizing the need for collective action by stakeholders to build technologically driven, globally competitive academic libraries that advance Nigeria’s higher‑education sector.