Barriers to Effective Usage of Artificial Intelligence in Tertiary Institution in North-Central, Nigeria

Abstract

The application of artificial intelligence in tertiary institutions in Nigeria comes with some eminent challenges. Therefore, this study assessed the barriers to effective usage of artificial intelligence in tertiary institutions in North-Central, Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to identify the barriers to effective usage of artificial intelligence in Nigerian tertiary institutions particularly in North-Central geopolitical zone. Hence, the study was guided by one objective and one research questions. Survey research design was used for the study. The population of the study consisted 1,344 academic staff and 24, 367 students in the three federal tertiary institutions located in Abuja, Nigeria. The sample size of the study comprised only 60 academic staff and 90 students. Stratified and random sampling were used to select the sample size. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire which was titled: Barriers to Effective Usage of Artificial Intelligence in Tertiary Institution Questionnaire (BEUAITQ). The reliability of the instrument was determined using the test retest method.  The 10 item questionnaire were structured on four point Likert Scale of Strongly Agreed (SA), Agreed (A), Disagrees (D) and Strongly Disagreed (SD). After the validation, the test of reliability utilizing Pearson Product Movement Correlation result was 0.74. Mean was used to analyze the data generated from the respondents. The result of the study revealed that poor funding, high cost of artificial intelligence maintenances, high cost of artificial intelligence facilities, unstable internet services, unstable electricity, low level of digital literacy among staff, low level of digital literacy among students, and shortage of artificial intelligence personnel are barriers to effective usage of artificial intelligence in tertiary institution in North Central, Nigeria. Based on tis discovered, the paper recommended among other things that the government should increase the funding of tertiary education in Nigeria; as this will help to procure artificial intelligence facilities in various tertiary institutions. The government should also provide adequate digital infrastructure facilities in all tertiary institutions; as this will help to improve accessibility by the lecturers and students.