Generative AI Policy

Generative AI Policy

The Nigerian Journal of Physics (NJP) acknowledges the growing presence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and AI-assisted tools in academic research and scholarly communication. The journal supports responsible, ethical, and transparent engagement with such technologies in line with international publication ethics and COPE guidelines.

Policy Statement

NJP does not permit the use of Generative AI tools to write, generate, paraphrase, or substantially revise any part of a manuscript submitted to the journal. Every submitted manuscript must represent the original intellectual and written work of the listed human authors.

Scope of the Prohibition

This prohibition applies to all manuscript components, including:

  • Title and abstract
  • Main text and methodology sections
  • Discussion and conclusion sections
  • References and citations
  • Cover letter and responses to reviewer comments
  • Tables, figures, and supplementary materials

Author Responsibilities

Authors must declare at submission any use of AI-assisted tools — including but not limited to ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and similar platforms. Any use of GenAI for manuscript writing is considered unacceptable and may result in:

  • Immediate rejection of the submission
  • Withdrawal of the manuscript from consideration
  • Retraction of a published article where such use is identified post-publication

AI Tools Cannot Be Listed as Authors

GenAI tools and AI systems may not be named as authors or contributors on any submission. Such tools are incapable of accepting responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, originality, or ethical soundness of research work, which are requirements of authorship.

Reviewer and Editorial Guidelines

Reviewers and members of the editorial team must not upload manuscripts, peer review reports, or any other confidential journal materials to public or unsecured AI platforms. Confidentiality obligations extend to all stages of the editorial process.

Permitted Uses of AI

While manuscript writing using AI is prohibited, authors may use AI-assisted tools for the following limited and clearly disclosed purposes:

  • Grammar and spelling checks on text written by the authors
  • Translation assistance (where the intellectual content originates with the authors)
  • Data analysis or computational tasks that are standard in the field and are fully disclosed in the Methods section

Any such use must be disclosed in the manuscript's acknowledgements or methods section, as appropriate.

Commitment to Research Integrity

NJP takes a firm stance against AI-generated or substantially AI-revised manuscripts. This position exists to protect scholarly originality, uphold research integrity, and preserve trust in the scientific record. Authors who are uncertain about permissible uses of AI tools are encouraged to contact the Editorial Office before submission.

Contact and Support

For questions regarding this policy, contact the NJP Editorial Office:
Email: nigerianjournalofphysics@gmail.com
Website: https://njp.nipngr.org/index.php/njp/about/contact

Last Updated: 19 June 2026  |  NJP Editorial Board