COLLABORATION, NETWORKING AND RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY IN NIGERIA’S RESEARCH INSTITUTES: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

Abstract

This article establishes the effect of collaboration/networking on research productivity among researchers in the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (FMSTI). The study utilises a large cross-sectional survey data collected from senior researchers, scientists and engineers (1611) in the seventeen Agencies of FMSTI. The results showed that internal collaborations among researchers and scientists were high and the purpose of collaboration includes research engagement, grantsmanship writing and journal publications. Most researchers also engage in external collaboration, particularly with other research institutes, Universities and Polytechnics. A few researchers reported collaborations with the industry. The analysis further showed a significant and positive effect of collaboration on research productivity. The results suggested that collaboration, whether internal or external, has a strong potential to improve research productivity. The article concludes that the management of these institutions needs to provide adequate platforms/incentives for researchers to collaborate and network to improve performance.