Professional Assessment of Open Source Software Adoption in Nigerian Educational Institutions

Open source software offers significant cost and capability advantages for resource-constrained educational institutions in Nigeria, but its adoption is uneven and largely unguided by professional evaluation of fitness, support quality, and total cost of ownership. This study conducts a professional assessment of open source software adoption in Nigerian educational institutions across university and secondary school levels. A structured survey was administered to 70 IT managers, system administrators, and educational technology coordinators at institutions across all six geopolitical zones. Open source tool categories assessed included operating systems, office productivity suites, learning management systems, library management systems, and content management systems. Findings indicate that 65 percent of institutions use at least one open source product, with Linux-based servers (45 percent) and Moodle LMS (38 percent) being the most common adoptions. Total cost of ownership analysis reveals that institutions using open source solutions save an average of 34 percent annually on software licensing compared to equivalent proprietary alternatives. Key adoption barriers include inadequate local technical support, lack of staff training, and institutional procurement policies that favour commercially licensed products. The study develops a Nigerian Educational Institution Open Source Adoption Decision Framework, assessing solution fit, support ecosystem, security posture, and migration cost. Recommendations include a national open source software helpdesk service for educational institutions and inclusion of open source competency in all ICT teacher training curricula.

Keywords: open source software, educational institutions, Nigeria, technology adoption, total cost of ownership