The Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, in collaboration with the Kwara State College of Education, Oro, joined the global academic community to celebrate the 2025 International Open Access Week with the theme “Owning Your Identity: One Researcher at a Time.”
The virtual event, held via Zoom on October 22, 2025, brought together librarians, researchers, and students from across Nigeria to discuss how academics can strengthen their research visibility through Open Access platforms such as ORCID, Google Scholar, and institutional repositories.
In her welcome remarks, Dr. Fatimah Jibril Abduldayan, University Librarian at Nigeria Maritime University, emphasised the need for Nigerian researchers to build credible digital profiles that connect their work globally. She provided practical guidance on creating and linking ORCID accounts to ensure scholars receive due recognition for their research.
Goodwill messages came from Professor Tuaweri, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), who represented Nigeria Maritime University Vice-Chancellor Professor Flora Oluwafemi, and Professor Mukaila Aremu, Provost of the Kwara State College of Education, who both commended the collaboration and reaffirmed support for open scholarship.
A panel session featured Dr. Victor Eyo, Dr. Idowu Adewuyi, and Dr. Marvellous Osakpolor, who discussed the benefits and challenges of Open Access publishing. They highlighted issues such as high publication costs and weak institutional policies, while also noting the growing credibility of Open Access journals.
Dr. Adewuyi shared how publishing in Open Access outlets had boosted the visibility and citation of his institution’s research, while Dr. Osakpolor urged scholars to adopt openness not just in publishing but also in data sharing and collaboration.
During the interactive Q&A session, participants asked questions about ORCID registration and research discoverability. Discussions reinforced the crucial role librarians play in promoting Open Access awareness and supporting researchers in digital identity management.
In closing, Mr. Haruna A. Abduldayan, College Librarian of the Kwara State College of Education, Oro, thanked all participants and organisers for their contributions, describing the event as “a step forward in promoting research transparency and collaboration in Nigeria.”
The celebration ended with a shared commitment to strengthen Nigeria’s participation in the global Open Access movement, encouraging scholars to take ownership of their digital presence and contribute to a more open and inclusive research community.
Kindly find the report available for download below.