Realigning Africa’s research priorities and ecosystem to transform education, innovation, productivity, and wealth creation

This paper investigates the extent to which Africa’s research priorities align with the continent’s socioeconomic growth and innovation demands. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combined bibliometric analysis of 58 African countries and regions via SciVal/Scopus (publications from 2014–2023), econometric modelling of innovation and economic indicators using data from WIPO, the World Bank, the IMF, and UNESCO, and thematic document analysis of STISA-2024 and Agenda 2063. Key findings reveal that although strategic frameworks exist, research priorities remain poorly aligned with innovation and wealth creation needs; research output is heavily concentrated in a few countries (South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria), overall continental contribution to global knowledge is low (1.1–1.4%), and improvements in research quality (citations and FWCI) rarely translate into patents or economic growth due to weak commercialization pathways, limited university-industry linkages, and inadequate funding. A major policy implication is the urgent need for African governments to increase R&D investment to at least 1% of GDP, strengthen cross-border collaboration, and realign research agendas with industrialization priorities. The original contribution of the study lies in its integrated assessment of the research–innovation–wealth nexus across the continent, highlighting structural barriers and providing evidence-based recommendations for transforming Africa’s research ecosystem.