Business Intelligence Solutions to Administrative Challenges in Tertiary Institutions in South Southern, Nigeria

Abstract

Tertiary institutions in Nigeria face increasing pressure to modernize administrative governance through digital transformation to overcome operational inefficiencies and data fragmentation. This study examined the potential of Business Intelligence (BI) solutions in addressing administrative challenges within tertiary institutions in the South-South region of Nigeria, specifically evaluating levels of adoption, institutional support, and administrative effectiveness. Utilizing a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 137 academic administrators and ICT personnel and analyzed using a structured Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) framework via Python. Descriptive results revealed moderate administrative challenges (Mean = 3.34) and BI adoption (Mean = 3.01), contrasting with high institutional support (Mean = 4.16). While correlation analysis showed a strong positive relationship between institutional support and BI effectiveness (r = 0.702, p < 0.05), regression analysis indicated that BI adoption alone was not a significant predictor of administrative effectiveness β= 0.046, p > 0.05), explaining only 0.2% of the variance. These findings suggest that the mere presence of BI technology does not guarantee administrative transformation; rather, success depends on strategic integration, staff competence, and sustained management backing beyond simple tool acquisition.