Assessing Perceptions of Predatory Open Access Journals Among Lecturers in Colleges of Education in Kwara State

Predatory open‐access journals exploit authors’ need to publish by charging fees without providing rigorous peer review or editorial oversight. This qualitative study assesses perceptions of such journals among 20 lecturers from three state‐owned Colleges of Education in Kwara State, Nigeria. Using semi‐structured interviews and phenomenological analysis, we examined participants’ awareness, journal‐selection criteria and institutional influences. Findings indicate uneven awareness: while a majority recognize red flags such as lack of transparent editorial boards, a substantial minority conflate open‐access status with predation. Lecturers prioritize indexing status, reasonable article processing charges and peer recommendations, yet heavy teaching loads and absence of formal policies compel hasty submissions. Informal networks partially mitigate training gaps but cannot substitute for structured institutional support. We recommend mandatory publishing‐ethics workshops, a standardized journal‐vetting guide and clear promotion‐related publishing policies. Future research should quantify predatory‐journal engagement nationwide, test training interventions and compare institutional vulnerabilities. These measures aim to strengthen academic standards and protect scholars from exploitative publishing practices.