Comparative Analysis of Users’ Rating of the Management Information System Units of Three Universities in North Central Nigeria

Abstract

This is a comparative analysis of users’ rating of the effectiveness of services provided by the management information system units of three selected Nigerian universities using certain parameters like structural layout, network equipment and security measures, bandwidth and latency, and users’ satisfaction. The selected universities were the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMIN), Baze University, Abuja (BAZEUNI) and University of Abuja (UNIABUJA). Each of these universities has Management Information System (MIS) units that are responsible for managing students’ academic records and personal details. The FUTMIN MIS is characterized by students complaints ranging from delay in connecting to the university network, incorrect students’ records, delay in staff response to queries amongst other. Students’ often wish that they were in other universities that were assumed to offer better services. This study therefore conducted a survey research using a structured questionnaire to gather data on the actual year of establishment of MIS, present composition of MIS users, network infrastructures, security measures, bandwidth and latency of the network, staff strength and area of expertise and future plans from Heads of Information Technology Services (ITS) units in charge of MIS as well as students who are users of the MIS services. Simple percentages and frequency counts were used to report the findings. It was revealed that FUTMIN MIS is not meeting the expectations of its users while BAZEUNI and UNIABUJA performed better at meeting the expectations of their users. The study recommended that FUTMIN ITS unit should organize training and workshop for technical staff, increase the number of ITS staff and network equipment and finally, source for funding from international agencies and donors.