Cybersecurity Awareness and Data Privacy: A Comparative Study of Administrative Staff in Federal and State Tertiary Institutions in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajbmi.v1i1.9059Keywords:
Administrative Staff, Business Education, Cybersecurity Awareness, Data Privacy, Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA)Abstract
This study examined cybersecurity awareness and data privacy: A comparative study of administrative staff in federal and state tertiary institutions in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It was driven by the enforcement of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) and rising digital vulnerabilities in higher institutions. The study adopted a comparative descriptive survey research design. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was utilized to select 200 administrative professionals across four institutions, representing a balanced 2 x 2 multi-tier structure. Data collection was executed via “Cybersecurity Awareness and Data Privacy Questionnaire (CADPQ)”, validated by three experts and obtained Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.86. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions, while the independent samples t-test was used to test the null hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that administrative staff in federal tertiary institutions have greater cybersecurity awareness and data privacy compliance than their state counterparts. The study concluded that these significant disparities persist largely due to unequal access to funding, digital infrastructure and structured training. It was recommended, among others, that the Management of state tertiary institutions should set up regular, mandatory training and workshops for administrative staff to close up the cybersecurity awareness and data privacy compliance gap. These research outcomes reveal an urgent need to review the Business Education curriculum, transforming it to systematically integrate advanced data ethics, regulatory compliance frameworks, and proactive digital security competencies essential for modern workplace.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Effiong Effiong Ebieme, Comfort Idongesit Charles, Anietie Bello Inyang (Author)
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