This paper examined publishing of university-based Journals in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the concept of online publishing to promote open access within university based journals.

A questionnaire was used to collect data from 20 Editors of different journals, 140 postgraduate students and researchers and analyzed. The study reveals that most of the university-based journals are not automated and not made available online; even though most of them accept paper submissions via email correspondence.  It further showed a high level of usage of open access publications by both Postgraduate students and lecturers during research, the awareness of open access concepts is still one way i.e. getting information not providing research outcome for others to also use.

The study recommends that efforts should be made towards creating more awareness on the use of open access, publishing in open access journals, providing infrastructure, policies, and incentives for automated journal publishing online and made open access in the university.  The use of open journal system which has the capacity to aggregate different journals on a single platform (OJS) should be implemented by the university to promote open Learning and open Education. The university should make it mandatory for postgraduate students and lecturers to deposit of scholarly works in open access archives.