Availability and Use of Information and Communication Technologies at an International Airport in Nigeria

Abstract

In this paper, the availability and use of conventional and aviation-specific information and communication technologies by airport workers are examined. A sample survey research design and a purposive sampling technique were adopted. By using a questionnaire, quantitative data were collected from 213 staff of the airport, who were available during the survey and were willing to complete the instruments. Further, qualitative data were collected from two heads of departments by using an interview schedule. The conventional technologies of computers, printers, and photocopiers, among others, were reportedly available and used. Common-use terminal equipment and flight information display systems were reportedly the aviation-specific technologies known by the largest number of respondents (84% each), while the biometric identification system was known by the least number of respondents (43.6%). The respondents reported increasing use of these technologies in the last five years. The members of staff of the organisation have very fair opinions about their knowledge of the use and deployment of information and communication technologies, but they identified infrastructural constraints and the high cost of equipment maintenance as hitches to the adequate deployment of the ICTs. Continuous training—that covers both conventional ICT and aviation-specific information and communication technologies—is required to improve the performance of airport staff.