Records Disposal Practices and Compliance with National Archives Standards in Ogun State Government Ministries

This study evaluates records disposal practices and their compliance with National Archives Act standards in selected ministries of the Ogun State Government in the South West geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Proper records disposal is a critical component of the records lifecycle, yet many Nigerian government institutions lack standardised appraisal and disposal procedures, leading to storage overcrowding, security risks, and potential legal liability. The research design is descriptive, targeting records officers, registry clerks, and archivists in five Ogun State ministries. Data collection is conducted through structured questionnaires and document review checklists. Theoretical grounding is drawn from Records Lifecycle Theory and Continuum Theory of Records Management, with reference to literature between 2020 and 2024. The study assesses awareness levels of disposal procedures, adherence to retention schedules, and the involvement of records professionals in disposal decisions. Challenges such as lack of approved disposal schedules and insufficient funding for disposal activities are specifically explored. Recommendations are directed at the Ogun State government archives authority and the National Archives of Nigeria. The study contributes to compliance discourse in Nigerian public sector records management. Keywords: records disposal, National Archives, Ogun State, compliance, records lifecycle