Science in Africa: Contemporary Trends in Research

Abstract

Despite numerous challenges, Africa has made notable progress in the production of science, particularly since the attainment of political independence of its countries. In the production of scientific knowledge, it has been advancing during the recent years. However, the current scenario of science on the continent is not fully known. The progress in knowledge production in science has not been empirically examined. This is crucial to the understanding of its contributions to the world of science. This paper is based on a study that traces the production of science in Africa over the past two decades with a specific focus on its research areas. Using the empirical data of 508,102 publications drawn from the Web of Science, the study examines the strengths of African science and the individual contribution of African countries to Africa and to the world. The paper also reveals disparities in science among countries on the African continent.