A professor at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has warned that the growing volume of information available in the digital age can become harmful when people and organisations fail to evaluate, manage and use it responsibly.
Professor Mustapha Momoh, a Professor of Information Management and Management Information Systems at NOUN, made the observation while delivering the university’s 43rd Inaugural Lecture on Thursday, 24 September 2026, at the NOUN Conference Centre in Abuja.
The lecture, titled “Managing Information Sources, Utilisation and the Need to Know,” focused on the changing nature of information management in a world where people are constantly exposed to large amounts of content from websites, social media platforms, artificial intelligence systems, news outlets and other digital sources.
Professor Momoh, who is a member of the Department of Business Administration in the Faculty of Management Sciences, explained that society has moved from an era in which information was difficult to obtain to one where the major challenge is deciding which information is trustworthy, relevant and useful.
From Information Scarcity to Information Overload
According to the professor, simply having access to large quantities of information does not automatically translate into better knowledge or better decisions.
He distinguished between being “information-rich” and being “information-wise,” stressing that people must develop the ability to assess information critically before relying on it.
The rapid expansion of digital communication has made information easier to access than ever before, but Professor Momoh noted that it has also created challenges including misinformation, disinformation and difficulty separating credible information from unreliable or misleading content.
For students in particular, the message is increasingly relevant as academic materials, social-media posts, online tutorials and AI-generated answers become readily available. Access to more information can support learning, but students still need to verify sources, compare claims and ensure that the information they use is accurate.
Information Must Be Evaluated Before It Is Used
Professor Momoh described information as an important resource for individuals and organisations because it contributes to decision-making, goal achievement and organisational performance.
However, he warned that poorly evaluated information could lead to poor outcomes, drawing attention to the familiar computing principle of “garbage in, garbage out.”
The implication is that decisions based on inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information are unlikely to produce reliable results.
He explained that good information should possess several qualities, including being:
- relevant to the situation;
- accurate and reliable;
- complete enough to support a decision;
- available at the appropriate time;
- credible and properly sourced; and
- communicated clearly to the person who needs it.
Professor Momoh also explained that information plays different roles within organisations. Strategic information supports long-term planning and policy decisions, tactical information assists managers in resource allocation and control, while operational information supports everyday activities.
Data Is Not Automatically Useful Information
Another important distinction made during the lecture was between data and information.
Raw data, Professor Momoh explained, only becomes useful information after it has been properly organised, interpreted and understood.
He also used optical illusions during the lecture to demonstrate that human perception can sometimes differ from reality, reinforcing the importance of careful interpretation before conclusions are reached.
NOUN VC Commends Professor Momoh
The Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria, Professor Uduma Oji Uduma, congratulated Professor Momoh on attaining the academic milestone and praised his contribution to the university’s intellectual development.
Professor Uduma also encouraged members of the academic community, particularly lecturers and doctoral students, to attend inaugural lectures regularly.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, inaugural lectures should not be treated simply as ceremonial university events but as opportunities to learn from the research experiences, discoveries and scholarly contributions of established academics.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Professor Chiedu Mafiana, similarly commended Professor Momoh and said the lecture highlighted the responsibility of universities and academics to generate, preserve, evaluate and share knowledge responsibly.
What This Means for Students
For NOUN students, Professor Momoh’s message is particularly significant at a time when learning increasingly takes place through digital platforms.
Students now have access to course materials, online resources, AI tools, social media discussions, video tutorials and numerous educational websites. While these resources can make studying easier, the abundance of information also makes source verification and critical thinking increasingly important.
Before relying on information for assignments, projects, TMAs or examination preparation, students should consider where the information originated, whether it agrees with credible academic sources and whether it accurately addresses the question being studied.
The central message from the inaugural lecture is therefore clear: the goal should not simply be to consume more information, but to identify, understand and use the right information responsibly.
NOUN Update is an independent student-support and information platform and is not the official website of the National Open University of Nigeria.
Source: Official NOUN News report, 25 September 2026.
