ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: A QUALITATIVE THEMATIC REVIEW OF INFRASTRUCTURAL, SOCIO-PEDAGOGICAL, ECONOMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS

Abstract

Assistive technology (AT) is programmed to improve access, participation, and academic engagement for students with disabilities, yet its adoption in Nigerian public universities remains constrained by interconnected structural, institutional, and socio-cultural barriers. This study synthesises qualitative evidence on factors influencing AT adoption and identifies priorities for more inclusive implementation. A qualitative systematic thematic review was conducted using literature published between January 2021 and September 2026. Searches covered Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, and SpringerLink, supplemented by backward reference searching. Following screening and eligibility assessment, 42 studies were included. Data were synthesised thematically and interpreted through the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Three themes emerged: infrastructural and digital-accessibility constraints; socio-pedagogical barriers and social influence; and political-economic and institutional constraints. The findings indicate that favourable perceptions of AT alone are insufficient to ensure sustained adoption when electricity, connectivity, affordability, staff preparedness, accessible teaching practices, and institutional support are inadequate. The review offers a contextual interpretation of UTAUT that highlights facilitating conditions as critical to translating acceptance into use. Sustainable adoption requires coordinated investment in accessible infrastructure, staff capacity, funding, institutional accountability, and disability-inclusive decision-making.