The Nigeria Maritime University (NMU) Library has celebrated International Open Access Week 2026 with a virtual webinar that brought together members of the university community and other participants to discuss the importance of Open Access, Open Science, research visibility and equitable access to scholarly knowledge. A major highlight of the event was the official launch of the LIBSENSE Nigeria Maritime University Open Science Community (NMU-OSC). The NMU-OSC initiative aligns with the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science (2021), which promotes making scientific knowledge openly available, accessible and reusable, while encouraging collaboration and equitable access to research. Through this initiative, the Nigeria Maritime University Library contributes to advancing these principles by fostering a culture of openness, knowledge sharing and research visibility across the university community.
The webinar, held yesterday, Tuesday, 20 October 2026, at 11:00 a.m. via Zoom, was themed “Building the Open Science Community at NMU: Opportunities and the Cost of Invisibility.” The programme was organised by the Nigeria Maritime University Library as part of the global celebration of International Open Access Week.
Opening Remarks and Welcome
The event commenced with opening remarks by Martha Tizhe, who welcomed participants and outlined the housekeeping guidelines for the virtual session, including arrangements for recording and livestreaming. Her opening remarks set the stage for an engaging and orderly programme.
The host, Dr. Fatimah Jibril Abduldayan, University Librarian, Nigeria Maritime University, subsequently welcomed the university management, facilitator, librarians, researchers and other participants. She acknowledged the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Flora Tobolayefa Oluwafemi, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Tolumoye Johnnie Tuaweri.
Speaking on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tuaweri conveyed her greetings and goodwill to the participants. He commended the significance of the initiative and officially launched the LIBSENSE NMU Open Science Community (NMU-OSC), marking an important step towards strengthening the culture of openness, collaboration and research visibility within the university.
Introduction of the NMU Open Science Community
Following the official launch, Dr. Abduldayan delivered a brief presentation introducing the NMU-OSC, explaining its purpose and its significance to the university community. The presentation highlighted the community’s role in promoting Open Science practices, encouraging the sharing of scholarly knowledge, supporting research visibility and fostering collaboration among researchers, academics, librarians and other members of the university community.
As part of the presentation, the University Librarian also introduced the NMU Institutional Repository (NMU-IR) Faculty Officers, who are librarians assigned to the various faculties of the university. Their introduction underscored the Library’s commitment to supporting faculty members and researchers in making their scholarly outputs more visible and accessible through the institutional repository.
The faculty officers are expected to serve as important points of contact for repository-related enquiries and provide support for the submission, organisation and visibility of the university’s scholarly publications and research outputs.
The next session featured the introduction of the webinar facilitator, Professor Olatokunbo Christopher Okiki, University Librarian, University of Lagos (UNILAG), and Chairman of the Association of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities (AULNU). A librarian from Nigeria Maritime University read the facilitator’s professional biography, highlighting his academic and professional background. Following the introduction, Dr. Abduldayan formally invited Professor Okiki to lead the session.
Professor Okiki delivered an insightful and engaging presentation on building the Open Science movement and community within the university environment. His presentation provided participants with an opportunity to reflect on the value of openness in scholarly communication and the importance of ensuring that research findings are discoverable, accessible and visible to the wider academic community. The session reinforced the relevance of Open Access and Open Science in contemporary research, particularly the need for institutions and researchers to embrace practices that encourage knowledge sharing, collaboration and wider dissemination of scholarly outputs.
Interactive Question-and-Answer Session
The facilitator’s presentation was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants raised several questions and sought further clarification on issues discussed. Many participants also expressed appreciation to Professor Okiki for his insightful and impactful presentation, commending his delivery and the valuable knowledge shared. The enthusiastic responses reflected the audience’s interest in Open Science and its relevance to research visibility and scholarly communication. The active participation demonstrated the audience’s interest in Open Access and Open Science and their relevance to research and academic development.
The discussion also provided an opportunity for participants to engage directly with the facilitator, exchange ideas and deepen their understanding of the subject. The questions and contributions enriched the webinar, reinforcing the importance of continuous engagement, awareness and capacity building in advancing Open Science practices within the university community.
Strengthening Open Science at NMU
The celebration of International Open Access Week 2026 and the launch of the NMU-OSC represent important steps in the Nigeria Maritime University Library’s efforts to promote open scholarly communication and improve the visibility of the university’s research outputs.
Through the NMU-OSC and the work of its Institutional Repository Faculty Officers, the Library seeks to encourage a stronger culture of research sharing, collaboration and responsible knowledge dissemination across the university.
The initiative also provides a platform for academics, researchers, librarians and other stakeholders to engage with emerging developments in scholarly communication and explore opportunities for making research more accessible and impactful. As the university community embraces this initiative, sustained participation, awareness and collaboration will be essential to building an active and enduring Open Science community at NMU.
Access the Webinar Recording
Participants and interested members of the academic community who wish to revisit the presentation can access the webinar recording through the link below.
Watch the webinar: https://www.youtube.com/live/OtoSf_Bb8VA?si=jwMceraUnAS0gUo6
The Nigeria Maritime University Library appreciates the university management, the facilitator, participants and everyone who contributed to the success of the event. The Library remains committed to advancing Open Access, Open Science and research visibility in support of the university’s academic and research mission.