Kigali, Rwanda – Professor Ogechi Adeola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Kigali (UoK), has once again been recognised among Rwanda’s leading researchers, ranking fourth nationally in the 2026 Stanford–Elsevier World’s Top 2% Scientists single-year listing.
The recognition marks Professor Adeola’s second consecutive appearance in the prestigious global listing, having ranked third in Rwanda in 2025. Her continued presence among the country’s top four researchers highlights the sustained international visibility and citation impact of her scholarly contributions.
According to data published by TOPSCINET, Professor Adeola is the highest-ranked researcher in Business and Management among the 15 Rwanda-affiliated scientists featured in the 2026 listing. Her achievement is particularly noteworthy in a ranking dominated by researchers in medical, health and natural science disciplines, including cardiovascular medicine, microbiology, oncology, tropical medicine, ophthalmology, paediatrics, surgery and geochemistry.
The 2026 listing features researchers affiliated with 10 institutions and organisations in Rwanda, including the University of Global Health Equity, University of Rwanda, University of Kigali, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Kigali, Pan Africa Biomedical Institute, Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology, Rwanda Rheumatic Heart Disease Research Network, Quality and Equity Health Care, and Oli Health Magazine Organization.
The University of Global Health Equity accounts for five researchers on the list, followed by the University of Rwanda with two, while the remaining institutions and organisations have one researcher each.
Professor Adeola’s recognition underscores the growing international relevance of African scholarship beyond the traditional science, technology and medical disciplines. It also highlights the important contribution of business, management and social science research to global knowledge production and the advancement of sustainable development.
An internationally recognised Professor of Marketing, Professor Adeola has authored and co-authored more than 150 academic and practitioner publications. Her research spans marketing strategy, entrepreneurship, sustainability, gender and inclusion, digital transformation and indigenous business practices in emerging economies. Through her scholarship, she has consistently championed African perspectives and contextually relevant approaches to addressing contemporary business and development challenges.
Rwanda’s representation in the 2026 single-year listing increased from 14 researchers in 2025 to 15 in 2026, reflecting the country’s continued presence in international research rankings.
The Stanford–Elsevier World’s Top 2% Scientists database identifies researchers using standardised citation indicators derived from Scopus, including citation counts, the h-index and measures of authorship contribution. The single-year listing assesses citation impact over a defined period, providing an internationally recognised measure of scholarly influence across scientific disciplines.
For the University of Kigali, Professor Adeola’s recognition for two consecutive years reinforces the institution’s commitment to research excellence, innovation and knowledge creation. It also reflects the University’s ambition to strengthen its international research profile, promote impactful scholarship and contribute to Rwanda’s growing knowledge economy.
As African universities continue to expand their contributions to global research, Professor Adeola’s achievement demonstrates the potential of sustained, high-quality scholarship to elevate the visibility of African institutions and perspectives within the international academic community.
Source: TOPSCINET, Rwanda’s Top 2% Scientists 2026, based on the Stanford–Elsevier database of standardised citation indicators.
