DETERMINANTS OF TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION FOR ACADEMICSUPPORT SERVICES IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES: AN EXTENDEDUTAUT MODEL APPROACH

Abstract

The rapid digital transformation of higher education has significantly reshaped the delivery of academic support
services across universities worldwide. Academic support services, including learning management systems, elibraries, online registration systems, virtual counselling, student information systems, and administrative support
platforms, are increasingly becoming central to institutional effectiveness, student engagement, and educational
quality. In Nigerian universities, despite increased institutional investments in information and communication
technologies (ICT), the adoption and sustained utilisation of digital systems for academic support remain
inconsistent due to behavioural, infrastructural, socio-economic, and organisational barriers. This paper examines
the determinants of technology adoption for academic support services in Nigerian universities using an Extended
Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. Building on the foundational UTAUT
constructs of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions, the study
incorporates additional context-specific variables, such as digital literacy, institutional support, trust, and
perceived financial cost, to better explain technology adoption within the realities of Nigerian higher education.
Drawing from empirical studies and contemporary literature, the study proposes that behavioural intention
mediates the relationship between these determinants and actual technology use. The paper adopts a quantitative
orientation and recommends Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) as a robust analytical framework for empirical
validation. The study contributes theoretically by extending UTAUT within a developing-country context and
practically by providing evidence-based insights for university administrators, policymakers, and stakeholders
seeking to strengthen sustainable digital transformation in Nigerian universities. It concludes that effective
adoption of technology in academic support services depends not merely on technological availability but also on
institutional readiness, digital competence, trust, and affordability.