A Nigerian academic publishing initiative, Research Africa, has announced the successful indexing of its first digitised academic journal on Google Scholar, marking a significant step toward global visibility.
The milestone was disclosed in a statement issued and signed by the organisation’s founder, Olasunkanmi Arowolo.
According to the statement, the indexed content, titled ‘Media and Communication Review’, was originally published in 2021 by Lagos State University (LASU) and later digitised by Research Africa in 2023.
The journal was authored by LASU scholars, including Rotimi Olatunji, a professor of Public Relations; Tunde Akanni, a professor and expert in Development Communication; Thanny Nooem, a senior lecturer in Advertising; and Ganiu Okunnu, who holds a PhD in communication studies.
“This marks a major milestone in our mission to digitise and globally amplify academic journals from the Global South,” Mr Arolowo said.
Boosting visibility
According to Mr Arowolo, Research Africa’s pilot project, which aims to digitally archive high-quality academic content with little or no digital footprint in Nigeria, has started working in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub.
The UK-based publisher described the achievement as a product of ‘academic dexterity’ and the strategic potential of educational technology.
He further noted that the inclusion of African scholarly work in global indexing platforms is a step toward addressing long-standing imbalances in academic visibility.
Being indexed on Google Scholar, according to him, enhances the work’s searchability, credibility, and inclusivity, thereby reinforcing the goal of research equity.
“We are proud to have begun this journey with Lagos State University, and we look forward to expanding this impact across the continent,” he stated.
About Research Africa
Founded in January 2023 and based in Lagos, Research Africa is committed to publishing scholarly and peer-reviewed academic journals of African origin.
The initiative emerged from concerns over the inaccessibility of African scholarly work and seeks to ensure its availability to the global online community, thus, addressing the problem of international visibility for journals of African extraction.