Museum Collection Management Practices at State Museums in the North West Geopolitical Zone

Effective collection management is foundational to the core functions of archaeological museums, yet Nigerian state museums face significant challenges including inadequate storage infrastructure, incomplete cataloguing, poor environmental controls, and staff capacity deficits that collectively threaten the long-term integrity of collections accumulated over decades of fieldwork. This study evaluates collection management practices at four state museum facilities in the North West geopolitical zone, covering institutions in Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, and Zamfara states, using a structured audit instrument developed from SPECTRUM collection management standards adapted for the Nigerian context. Each museum was assessed across ten management domains including documentation completeness, storage conditions, access control, pest management, conservation status, and digital inventory provision. Findings reveal significant variation across institutions, with the Kano State museum exhibiting the most advanced practices and the Zamfara and Kebbi facilities showing critical deficiencies across multiple domains. Common problems include the storage of undocumented accessions occupying significant storage capacity, active pest infestations in organic collections, and the absence of digital cataloguing in three of the four institutions. The study estimates that approximately thirty percent of assessed objects are at immediate risk of deterioration without urgent conservation intervention. Recommendations include the development of a North West zone regional collections management programme coordinated by the NCMM, with shared conservation services, digital cataloguing infrastructure, and a regional training calendar for curatorial staff. Keywords: collection management, museums, North West zone, SPECTRUM standards, conservation.