The Politics of Knowledge: Power, Epistemic Coloniality, and Publication Dynamics in African Higher Education

Purpose: This article critically examines the intricate relationships between knowledge production, power structures, and epistemic hegemony within African higher education contexts. It interrogates the enduring impacts of colonial legacies, the epistemic coloniality embedded in academic systems, and the politics of academic publishing that continue to marginalize African scholarship. The central aim is to explore how these dynamics shape the prospects for a decolonized African academy. Methodology: The article draws on an extensive review of scholarly literature published between 2016 and 2025. A meta-analysis of key studies is integrated with a researcher-anchored analytical voice to evaluate thematic patterns, methodological reliability, and critical insights across the literature. A clearly articulated methodology section provides transparency in the selection, review, and synthesis of sources. Findings: The analysis reveals persistent colonial legacies that underpin epistemic structures in African higher education. It identifies how global academic publishing systems continue to marginalize African epistemologies and scholars through systemic biases. The study also uncovers how certain methodological and institutional frameworks reinforce knowledge hierarchies that privilege Eurocentric paradigms over indigenous and context-sensitive approaches. Unique Contributions: This article contributes to ongoing debates on decolonizing knowledge by offering a comprehensive, methodologically transparent synthesis of recent scholarship. It advances the discourse by emphasizing the need for inclusive, context-responsive knowledge ecosystems that support African intellectual sovereignty. The article provides actionable recommendations aimed at institutional reform, academic publishing transformation, and the reclamation of epistemic agency within African higher education.