Information utilization by policy-makers in Nigeria, Part I: Assessing degrees of information consciousness

Abstract

Four measures of 'information consciousness' were identified. and the extent to which federal civil servants in Nigeria related to these measures was determmed. The conclusion was that public policy-makers in Nigeria did not generally have as high a level of 'information conciousness' as they might, but that this level was not as low as had been expected. Most respon dents had the most appropriate, most comprehensive definition of information in a functional context, but a large proportion also did not understand what the definition was all about. It would appear that the educational background and the status of respondents were the most important explanatory variables for their recognition and use of 'gatekeepers of knowledge' as well as the extent to which information was an acknowledged component in analysing their decision situations and their familiarity with expatriate sources of developmental informa tion on Nigeria.