Influence of entrepreneurial orientation on innovation adoption in African academic libraries: a cross-country study of Nigeria and Kenya

The study examines how entrepreneurial orientation (EO) influences the adoption of innovation in African academic libraries. A quantitative survey was carried out, gathering data from 198 librarians at universities in Nigeria and Kenya. Descriptive statistics revealed the frequency of entrepreneurial activities and the extent of innovative practices, while Pearson’s correlation and linear regression examined EO’s impact on innovation adoption. Results show that entrepreneurial activities, such as fee-based training, consultancy services, and digital content creation, are quite prevalent. Innovative practices, including mobile library services and digital publishing, are moderately adopted. The findings also indicate a strong positive correlation, with EO significantly forecasting the use of innovative practices in academic libraries. The study concludes that cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset among librarians, along with investing in ICT infrastructure and supportive policies, is crucial for enhancing the sustainability, relevance, and innovative capacity of academic libraries in Africa.