Systemic Determinants of Information Management Failure in Nigerian State Governments: A Multi-State Comparative Analysis

This study conducts a rigorous multi-state comparative analysis of the systemic determinants of information management failure in Nigerian state governments. Information management failures, manifesting as loss of institutional memory, records unavailability for audit, and communication system breakdowns, are endemic in many Nigerian states, yet the systemic root causes underpinning these failures have not been comprehensively modelled. The study employs a comparative case study methodology across six strategically selected states (one per geopolitical zone), combining institutional analysis, document examination, and 86 in-depth interviews with senior administrative officers, records managers, internal auditors, and civil service commissioners. The Systems Thinking Framework and the Institutional Failure Theory provide the analytical scaffolding, with literature from 2018 to 2024 on public sector information management in West Africa. The study identifies eight systemic failure determinants, including governance fragmentation, chronic underfunding, weak regulatory enforcement, and institutional culture, and constructs an empirically grounded failure typology with predictive indicators. This comparative approach addresses a critical methodological gap in existing single-state studies. A policy intervention matrix is proposed, mapping each failure type to targeted remediation strategies. Recommendations target the Bureau of Public Service Reforms and the National Council on Establishment. Keywords: information management failure, state governments, systemic determinants, comparative analysis, Nigeria