Data Literacy and Research Data Management Practices among Professionals of University Libraries in Selected Nigerian States

The rapid expansion of research data in university environments has intensified the need for research data management practices (RDMP), which are associated with library professionals' data literacy competencies. Anchored on the knowledge-based view (KBV) theory, this study examined the relationships between data literacy and RDMP among university library professionals in Nigeria, addressing a critical skill-gap in an under-researched context. Using a correlational research design, 137 library professionals across university libraries in Ebonyi, Edo, and Ondo States were surveyed. A structured questionnaire (cronbach's α = 0.97) distributed through Google Forms yielded 107 valid responses (78.1% response rate). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to ascertain the level of RDMP. Multivariate test ascertained the overall relationship between data literacy and RDMP, while univariate test ascertained the relationship between onliteracy and each dimension of the RDMP. The study found a moderate level of RDMP (mean = 2.56), with data creation (mean = 2.79) and data processing (mean = 2.66) contributing most to the overall level of RDMP. Multivariate tests revealed a significant relationship between data literacy and the combined RDMP dimensions, Pillai's Trace =.254, F(6, 100) = 5.687, p <.001, partial η² =.254. Further analysis indicated that data literacy was significantly associated with the overall RDMP score, F(1, 105) = 26.24, p <.001, partial η² =.200, explaining 20% of the variance. The associations were relatively stronger for the early stages of the RDM lifecycle than for later stages. This study underscores the importance of developing data literacy to support RDMP in university libraries, and provides empirical evidence from the Global South, where such studies are limited.