Library and Information Perspectives and Research, 3(2), 12 – 22, 2021 ISSN: 2672-5886 (Print) 2672-5894 (Online) Available online at credencepressltd.com 10.47524/lipr.v3i2.13 Influence of information literacy skills on research productivity of academic staff of federal universities in North-eastern Nigeria 1 Yemisi Tomilola Babalola, PhD and 2 Musa Yila Umar Department of Information Resources Management Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria E-mail: 1 babalolay@babcock.edu.ng, 2 musayila@yhoo.com, Abstract This study investigated influence of Information literacy skills on research productivity of academic staff of federal universities in Northeastern, Nigeria. A survey design was adopted in carrying out the study. The population for this study comprised of 4258 academic staff of six (6) federal universities in North-eastern, Nigeria, from which a sample of 366 was drawn and used for the study. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the sample for the study. Simple random sampling was used to select three (3) out of the six federal universities so as to have a manageable sample simple size these includes; Abubakar Tafawabalewa University Bauchi, University of Maiduguri and Federal University Wukari Thereafter, stratified sampling method was used to select four faculties common to all the universities, namely faculty of Education, Science, Agriculture and Social science. The data collected were analyzed using percentage, mean and standard deviation. The results of the study among others showed that information literacy skills had no significant effect on research productivity of academic staff in federal universities in the North-eastern. This implies that the level of information literacy skill of the academic staff cannot determine their research productivity. The study recommended among others that Academic staff universities in the North-eastern, Nigeria should be encouraged to utilize their information literacy skills in order to enhance the research productivity. Keywords: Information literacy skills, research productivity, academic staff, North-eastern Nigeria Introduction Research is an indispensable avenue for finding solution to social and economic problems. Therefore, one of the mandates of institutions of higher learning in general and universities in particular is research and development. Research and development are inseparable since development often results from serious engagement in research. Many nations of the world rely on the research findings of their higher institutions for solving economic and societal challenges. Research is a careful study of a subject in order to discover new information or fact about a problem with the aim of providing solution (Uwizeye, Karimi & Thiong’o, 2021). Discovery of new knowledge through research brings about innovations that turn around the productive sectors of an economy. Research is the bedrock of development; hardly can any nation attain development without giving research priority. Thus, research and development have become the effective means of boosting sustainable economic development and reinforcing competitiveness in industries and countries across the world. In order to fulfil their mandate, universities employ academic staff who are required to engage in teaching, students advising and counselling, curriculum development, developmental committee work, and other services that support the institutional mission. In particular, academics are expected to carry out research and get their findings published in form of books, monographs, chapters in books, journal articles, scientific reports, patent and other medium of disseminating research outcomes. It is expected that the results of such researches will assist policy makers in finding solutions to social, political and economic problems. For this reason, most developed nations usually harvest the research results of their academic staff at the end of every year in order to help them assess their current policies (Feyera, Atelaw & Hassen, 2017). Research thus provides a foundation for generating knowledge and 12