Thirty years of the Journal of African Economies: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract This study presents a bibliometric analysis of the first 30 years of the Journal of African Economies (JAE), from 1992 to 2021, tracing its evolution as a leading platform for scholarly research on African economic development. Over the past three decades, JAE has played a pivotal role in shaping intellectual discourse and policy formulation through rigorous empirical and theoretical scholarly contributions. The study explores publication trends and impact, authorship patterns, collaboration networks and thematic structure. The average scholarship productivity in JAE has increased steadily over the period. The thematic structure of publications reveals a strong focus on macroeconomic conditions, poverty alleviation, inequality and income distribution, labour market analysis and economic growth. Recent scholarships examine sectoral issues in education, technology and agriculture, including food security. The thematic evolution progressed from conflict-related studies and foreign aid to more nuanced topics on institutions, human capital development and regional integration. The authorship patterns highlight scholars domiciled in the UK and Europe as the dominant contributors, though notable African contributors have emerged in recent years, particularly from Kenya, South Africa and Ethiopia. The study also highlights the growing international collaboration among scholars publishing in JAE, with eminent collaborators from leading international financial institutions (The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund), Universities (Oxford, UK and Cornell, USA and others), and policy and research institutes in Africa and beyond. Surprisingly, scholars affiliated with institutions and countries in Africa collaborate more with researchers in the global north than with other scholars within the continent. These results offer valuable insights into potential contributors, institutions and policymakers seeking to understand and contribute to JAE's evolving landscape.