Smart Governance in Nigerian Higher Education: Integrating Artificial Intelligence for Integrity and Effective University Leadership

This study investigated the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration on university governance in a SouthSouth geopolitical zone of Nigeria from 2019 to 2024, with emphasis some governance metrics like administrative efficiency, leadership effectiveness, academic integrity and stakeholder engagement. A year-by-year analysis revealed progressive and sustained improvement, with the overall governance mean increasing from 2.89 in 2019 to 4.32 in 2024, representing a 63.6% total improvement. Triangulation of quantitative trends with qualitative data from interviews and documentary indicators confirmed convergent patterns, strengthening internal validity. The findings indicate that AI adoption significantly enhanced governance outcomes by streamlining administrative processes, supporting evidence-based leadership, reinforcing academic standards and improving stakeholder engagement. The study highlights the transformative potential of AI in higher education governance and provides evidence-based guidance for policy and practice.