Managing Arabic Language Departments in Nigerian Universities: Administrative Challenges and Strategic Solutions

The effective administration of Arabic language and Islamic studies departments in Nigerian universities requires navigating a unique set of academic, cultural, and resource management challenges that are seldom addressed in general educational administration literature. This study investigates the administrative challenges facing heads of Arabic language departments in Nigerian universities and the management strategies employed to address them, drawing on the perspectives of departmental administrators in universities across the six geopolitical zones. Using a qualitative case study methodology, the research conducts in-depth interviews with eighteen heads of department and faculty deans in universities including the University of Ibadan, Bayero University Kano, University of Calabar, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Maiduguri, and the University of Abuja. The study examines challenges across domains of student recruitment, curriculum development, staff management, research output, external relations, and resource mobilisation. Key administrative challenges identified include chronic underfunding, difficulty attracting qualified academic staff, low student enrolment driven by employment pessimism, and inadequate physical infrastructure for language laboratory and manuscript preservation facilities. Successful management strategies documented include departmental revenue generation through Arabic translation services, community education partnerships, and strategic engagement with Arab embassies and Islamic organisations. The study provides a management framework applicable to Arabic departments in comparable contexts. Keywords: Arabic department management, higher education administration, Nigerian universities, academic leadership, resource management.