Assessment of Postgraduate Music Research Output in Nigerian Universities: 2015 to 2024

This study assesses the volume, thematic distribution, methodological approaches, and scholarly impact of postgraduate music research output from Nigerian universities between 2015 and 2024. As music departments in Nigerian universities continue to expand their postgraduate programmes, concerns have grown about the quality, diversity, and practical relevance of produced research. This bibliometric and content analysis study examines 200 Masters and PhD theses from 10 universities with established music programmes spanning all six geopolitical zones, including the Universities of Lagos, Ibadan, Nigeria, Jos, Calabar, and Maiduguri. Thematic coding identifies dominant research areas, underrepresented topics, and the geographic distribution of case studies. Methodological analysis assesses the prevalence and quality of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Citation analysis using available academic databases assesses scholarly impact and interdisciplinary reach. The study also examines the proportion of theses addressing music education, ethnomusicology, music therapy, musicology, and music industry topics. The analytical framework draws on research evaluation methodology, scientometrics, and music education research assessment literature. Findings will produce the most comprehensive mapping of Nigerian postgraduate music research to date and will inform institutional research strategy, funding priorities, and supervisory capacity development. Keywords: Postgraduate research, music scholarship, Nigerian universities, bibliometric analysis, research output.