Developing a Digital Records Preservation Model for Government Institutions in Nigeria: An Evidence-Based Approach

This study develops an evidence-based digital records preservation model for government institutions in Nigeria, addressing the critical absence of a validated, contextualised framework for ensuring long-term accessibility, authenticity, and integrity of digital government records. The rapid accumulation of born-digital government records in Nigerian institutions without adequate preservation strategies is creating significant national memory risks. The research employs a sequential mixed-methods design comprising three phases. Phase One conducts a systematic literature review of existing digital preservation frameworks (InterPARES, OAIS, DigCurV) and their applicability to Nigerian conditions. Phase Two collects empirical data through surveys (n=240) and interviews (n=30) with records managers and IT officers in federal and state government institutions across all six geopolitical zones. Phase Three uses expert Delphi validation (n=25) to refine the proposed model through three iterative rounds. The resulting Nigeria Government Digital Preservation Model (NGDPM) identifies ten preservation capability domains and an implementation roadmap calibrated to Nigeria's resource constraints and legal environment. This study represents the first empirically developed and expert-validated digital preservation model for Nigerian government records. Recommendations target the National Archives Commission and NITDA. Keywords: digital records preservation, government institutions, Nigeria, evidence-based model, archival science