By Ozigbo, Nathaniel Chizoba
This study aimed at investigating the need for the diffusion and adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the management of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries, with particular references to the four refineries. In seeking solutions to the problem raised, four, research questions were formulated. The study described how the theories of diffusion and adoption have been used in the field of information and communication technologies. The study brought to the fore critical issues relating to the ICTs prevailing in the NNPC and its subsidiaries. The study was not a comparative one, rather aimed at identifying common factors affecting the decisions to acquire external technology. The study identified that the existing refineries have produced below capacity caused by poor management. The study took a cross investigation of the structure of the downstream sector and highlighted investment opportunities in refining, marketing and petrochemicals. The study was conducted through survey, and archival studies were carried out to identify some of the technical changes and technological capabilities of NNPC and its subsidiaries. The archival studies concentrated on annual reports, audited accounts, engineering reports, memoranda and statistics of NNPC and its subsidiaries. Data used in this study was collected from primary sources through structured questionnaire and interviews with the users of ICT components. In all, 400 copies of questionnaire were distributed to the respondents and a response rate of 96.50 percent was obtained. The data collected were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique and chi-square for the test of hypotheses. Also a multivariate probity regression analysis was adopted for testing hypothesis four. The study provided empirical evidence that the adoption of ICTs in the NNPC and its subsidiaries were beneficial. The study concluded that the future of NNPC and its subsidiaries were perceived to be dependent on the development and the upgrading of technological capabilities. The study made modest recommendations, that appropriate laws should be enacted to protect Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries from foreign competitors and that obsolete equipment for training should be scrapped.