The National Universities Commission and the National Library of Nigeria have jointly called on university libraries across the country to reposition themselves as strategic drivers of research, innovation, and knowledge dissemination, in line with global standards.

The call was made at the 14th Bi annual meeting of the Association of University Libraries of Nigerian Universities held on Tuesday in Abuja, themed "Managing University Libraries in the era of open access publishing: The Role of Libraries."

NUC Executive Secretary Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, who addressed participants at the meeting, stressed that university libraries must align with global best practices to support accreditation requirements and sustain Nigeria's competitiveness in the international academic space.

He underscored the need for sustained investment in library infrastructure, digital resources, and human capital development, noting that well equipped and efficiently managed libraries are indispensable to teaching, learning, and research outcomes.

Delivering the keynote address, National Librarian and Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Nigeria, Professor Chinwe Anunobi, charged university libraries to move beyond traditional functions and take the lead in promoting open access initiatives that make academic outputs accessible to researchers, students, and the global academic community.

Anunobi noted that the shift toward open access publishing presents both opportunities and challenges, requiring libraries to adopt innovative management strategies, strengthen digital infrastructure, and build librarian capacity to navigate emerging trends in scholarly communication.

She tasked university libraries to embrace Artificial Intelligence to enhance service delivery, noting that AI driven tools could support automated cataloguing, intelligent search systems, data analytics, and personalised user services.

"University libraries must become active partners in research visibility, data management, and institutional repository development," Anunobi stated, adding that increased collaboration among academic institutions, government agencies, and international partners remained essential for sustainable access to information resources.

AULNU Chairman Professor Angela Okpala, who also serves as University Librarian of the National Open University of Nigeria, welcomed participants and urged members to share experiences and strengthen partnerships to reposition Nigerian university libraries within the global knowledge ecosystem.