By Abdulkareem Abdulquadri
After three years of operating as a programme under the Department of Mass Communication, the Library and Information Science (LIS) programme at the University of Lagos has formally emerged as an independent department under the Faculty of Social Science.
Library and Information Science is an established academic discipline offered in several notable Nigerian universities, including the University of Ibadan (UI), University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Bayero University Kano (BUK), University of Ilorin, University of Maiduguri, Lagos State University (LASU), and Abia State University. At the University of Lagos, however, LIS remains a relatively new academic programme.
The LIS programme was introduced in 2023 through the efforts of Professor Yetunde Zaid, former University Librarian of the University of Lagos Library. At its inception, the programme admitted 59 pioneering students, alongside 29 Direct Entry students, bringing the total student population to 88, supported by five lecturers. At the time, Professor Christopher Okiki, now the University Librarian, served as the Programme Supervisor.
With its official recognition as an independent department, the programme has recorded significant growth. The student population has increased from fewer than 100 to nearly 300 students, alongside the addition of new academic staff to strengthen teaching and learning.
The department recently conducted an orientation programme for its newly admitted students under the National Association of Library and Information Science Students (NALISS), UNILAG Chapter, marking a new phase in its academic and administrative autonomy.
The newly established department is headed by Professor Yetunde Zaid, who now serves as the first Head of Department and the first female HOD of the Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Lagos.
As part of activities marking its independence, the department is scheduled to hold the swearing-in ceremony for its first set of departmental executives on February 26, 2026. The department has reiterated its commitment to playing a crucial role in the academic and professional development of every LIS student at the University of Lagos.
The department operates under the motto: “Empowering Minds, Preserving Knowledge.”
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