University Librarians Decry Rise of Predatory Journals, Unethical AI Use

ABUJA, Nigeria — The Association of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (AULNU) has issued a stern warning over the “alarming” rise of predatory publishing and the unethical deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the nation’s academic ecosystem.

​In a communiqué released Tuesday at the conclusion of its 114th Bi-Annual Conference and General Meeting held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) headquarters, the association highlighted how the shift toward “Open Access” publishing—while democratizing knowledge—has inadvertently opened the door for academic fraud.

​The Open Access Double-Edged Sword

​Open Access (OA) publishing allows research to be freely available to the public, removing traditional subscription barriers. While AULNU stakeholders acknowledged that OA enhances research visibility, they warned that “unethical publishing practices” are now threatening the integrity of Nigerian scholarship.

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​”Participants expressed deep concern over the proliferation of predatory journals, misinformation, and the improper deployment of AI in scholarly communication,” the communiqué stated. Predatory journals often charge high fees to authors without providing the rigorous peer-review or editorial oversight essential for scientific credibility.

​Structural Hurdles to Innovation

​Beyond unethical practices, the association identified a “infrastructure deficit” as a primary barrier to legitimate digital transformation. The communiqué cited several persistent challenges:

• ​Energy and Connectivity: Unstable power supply and poor ICT infrastructure continue to hamper the management of institutional repositories.
• ​Funding Gaps: AULNU called on the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to increase support for broadband connectivity and the payment of Article Processing Charges (APCs), which can be prohibitively expensive for local researchers.
• ​Digital Literacy: Limited awareness and weak institutional policies remain significant hurdles to the responsible use of emerging technologies.

​A Call for Professionalism

​AULNU also took a firm stand on administrative standards, “frowning at” the appointment of non-professionally qualified individuals to head university libraries. The association insisted that only librarians registered with the Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN) should hold leadership positions to maintain global standards.

​The conference, themed “Managing University Libraries in the Era of Open Access Publishing: The Role of Librarians,” concluded with a resolution to establish a sustainable open-access consortia. This collaborative digital infrastructure aims to pool resources across Nigerian universities to improve research accessibility and digital scholarship.

​”University libraries are evolving from traditional custodial roles into strategic knowledge facilitation centers,” the group noted, urging the federal government to prioritize “AI-enabled service delivery” to ensure Nigerian higher education remains globally competitive.