adjustment in higher education. However, the influence of motivation and gender on engagement remains a concern in Nigerian Universities. Guided by Self-

Determination Theory, this study investigated the predictive roles of academic motivation

(intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation) and gender on academic engagement among 341

undergraduates of the University of Ibadan using a cross-sectional survey design and

standardized measurement scales. Results indicated that academic motivation jointly

predicted academic engagement, accounting for 15% of the variance (R = .39, R² = .15, F(3,

337) = 20.33, p < .05). Intrinsic motivation significantly and positively predicted academic

engagement (â = .34, t = 4.51, p < .05), while amotivation also emerged as a significant

predictor (â = .18, t = 3.54, p < .05). However, extrinsic motivation did not independently

predict academic engagement (â = .08, t = 1.03, p > .05). Furthermore, gender did not

significantly influence academic engagement, t(339) = .71, p > .05, with males (x=¯ 28.32, SD

= 6.18) and females (x=¯ 27.84, SD = 6.26) reporting comparable levels of engagement.

Intrinsic motivation significantly enhances undergraduates' academic engagement, leading to

greater dedication, energy, and active participation academic engagement among

undergraduates, while gender has no significant influence on engagement levels. The study

recommends that Universities encourage autonomy-supportive teaching, design meaningful

and mastery-focused curricula, and implement strategies that enhance intrinsic motivation

and reduce amotivation to improve student engagement and overall academic performance.