ARCIK is dedicated to multidisciplinary research and documentation activities in Africa's indigenous knowledge (IK) systems, that is, localised knowledge which is unique to particular African societies and groups, and which has been institutionalised and passed through many generations up to the present.

ARCIK concerns itself with the search, retrieval, storage and dissemination of information on IK systems in the social, economic, political, cultural and technological life of African societies. The Centre provides bibliographic support to researchers in the area of IK. Additionally, it organises and encourages IK research by all NISER staff and by other scholars in Nigeria and Africa. It also organises Conferences, Seminars, Workshops and Symposia on various aspects of Nigerian and African IK systems.