AfricaLics has commissioned a bibliometric analysis examining the scholarly contributions and research impact of the African Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems (AfricaLics) research capacity-building programmes between 2012 and 2024.

The analysis examines research outputs, citation impact, thematic priorities, and collaboration networks associated with three key AfricaLics activities: the PhD Academy, Visiting Fellowship Programme (VFP), and research conferences. It provides an overview of how these initiatives have supported the development of research capacity and contributed to the advancement of innovation and development studies across Africa.

The findings highlight the contribution of AfricaLics’ capacity-building activities to scholarly publication, knowledge production, and the development of a research community focused on innovation and development challenges in African contexts. The analysis also identifies opportunities to strengthen research productivity, promote gender inclusion, deepen collaboration among researchers and institutions, and enhance the visibility and impact of research outputs.

The presentation further underscores the importance of sustained investment in early-career researchers, effective mentorship, improved access to academic publishing, and stronger cross-country research partnerships. These measures are essential for consolidating the achievements of AfricaLics’ programmes and ensuring that research capacity-building initiatives translate into stronger scholarly networks and more significant contributions to innovation policy and development practice. The findings offer useful insights for AfricaLics and other stakeholders seeking to strengthen research ecosystems, support emerging scholars, and advance innovation and development research across the African continent.

Speaker

Dr. Maruf Sanni, AfricaLics Secretary General and Deputy Director of Research at the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), an agency under Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with a specialization in environmental sustainability. His research focuses on the interface between technological change and sustainable development, particularly in areas such as low-carbon innovation pathways, climate-resilient development, and climate change policy.

Dr. Sanni has held research fellowships at leading international institutions, including the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA) in Accra, Ghana, and the International Centre for Science and High Technology of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Trieste, Italy. He is also a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at the European Institute on Economics and the Environment (EIEE), Milan, Italy, where his work examined eco-innovation and the role of external knowledge sourcing in developing countries.

In addition to his research roles, Dr. Sanni serves as Nigeria’s National Contact Point (NCP) for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) under the Horizon Europe Programme. He is currently the Head of Technology Management Education and Training department at NACETEM, where he leads capacity-building initiatives in science, technology, and innovation (STI) management.

Discussant

Prof. Rebecca Hanlin  is a science, technology, and innovation policy expert with an emphasis on promoting innovation and business development opportunities for small and medium sized businesses in Africa at the DSI/NRF Trilateral Research Chair in Transformative Innovation, the 4IR & Sustainable Development in the College of Business and Economics. She has a strong background in managerial positions overseeing personnel and budgets in the private sector in Africa prior to returning to academia. Rebecca has also managed a number of research related responsibilities at the Open University and is providing innovation and development advice to the AfricaLics network of innovation scholars in Africa.

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