National University Commission's Accreditation Exercise and Infrastructural Development in Nigerian Universities

Abstract

This study examined the association between the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) accreditation exercise and infrastructural development in the University of Calabar and the University of Cross River State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to assess the association between accreditation activities and the provision of lecture halls, staff offices, and laboratories. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample of 386 respondents was drawn from a population of 10,982 teaching and non-teaching staff across the two universities. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using chi-square statistical technique. The findings revealed significant associations between NUC accreditation exercises and the provision of lecture halls, staff offices, and laboratories in the universities studied. These results underscore the role of accreditation as a catalyst for infrastructural upgrades in Nigerian universities. The study recommends that university management should adopt proactive and sustainable infrastructural development strategies beyond accreditation cycles to promote continuous quality improvement in higher education delivery. The NUC should enforce minimum lecture hall standards during accreditation and ensure that universities expand teaching spaces in line with student enrolment growth.