List of African scientists, inventors, and scholars
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This is a list of African educators, scientists and scholars who were born or active on the
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
n continent.


North Africa


Egypt

*
Imhotep , other_names = Asclepius (name in Greek) Imouthes (also name in Greek) , burial_place = Saqqara (probable) , occupation = chancellor to the Pharaoh Djoser and High Priest of Ra , years_active = , known_for ...
fl. (2667–2611 BC), Egyptian polymath *
Muhammad Abduh ; "The Theology of Unity") , alma_mater = Al-Azhar University , office1 = Grand Mufti of Egypt , term1 = 1899 – 1905 , Sufi_order = Shadhiliyya , disciple_of = , awards = , infl ...
(1849–1905), Egyptian jurist, religious scholar and liberal reformer, regarded as the founder of Islamic Modernism. * Abū Kāmil Shujā ibn Aslam (c. 850 – c. 930) *
Sameera Moussa Sameera Moussa () (March 3, 1917 – August 5, 1952) was the first female Egyptians, Egyptian nuclear physics, nuclear physicist. Sameera held a doctorate in atomic radiation. She hoped her work would one day lead to affordable medical treatment ...
(1917–1952), Egyptian nuclear scientist. *
Al-Jahiz Abū ʿUthman ʿAmr ibn Baḥr al-Kinānī al-Baṣrī ( ar, أبو عثمان عمرو بن بحر الكناني البصري), commonly known as al-Jāḥiẓ ( ar, links=no, الجاحظ, ''The Bug Eyed'', born 776 – died December 868/Jan ...
(781–868/869), Afro-Arab scholar of East African descent. *
Arius Arius (; grc-koi, Ἄρειος, ; 250 or 256 – 336) was a Cyrenaic presbyter, ascetic, and priest best known for the doctrine of Arianism. His teachings about the nature of the Godhead in Christianity, which emphasized God the Father's un ...
(c. 250/256–336), Christian priest from Alexandria, Egypt. *
Al-Suyuti Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti ( ar, جلال الدين السيوطي, Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī) ( 1445–1505 CE),; (Brill 2nd) or Al-Suyuti, was an Arab Egyptian polymath, Islamic scholar, historian, Sufi, and jurist. From a family of Persian or ...
(c. 1445–1505), Egyptian writer, religious scholar, juristic expert and teacher. *
Ahmed Zewail Ahmed Hassan Zewail ( ar, أحمد حسن زويل, ; February 26, 1946 – August 2, 2016) was an Egyptian-American chemist, known as the "father of femtochemistry". He was awarded the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on femtochemistry ...
(1946–2016), Egyptian-American scientist, awarded the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. * Mahmud Ahmad Hamdi al-Falaki (1815–1885), Egyptian cartographer, teacher, Minister of Public Instruction. * Ismail Mustafa al-Falaki (1825–1901), Egyptian astronomer and mathematician.


Carthage

* Saint Cyprian (c. 210–September 14, 258), bishop of Carthage and early Christian writer.


Tunisia

* Aziza Baccouche (1976–), American physicist and filmmaker born and raised in Tunisia *
Hayet Omri Hayet Omri (born December 13, 1981, in Regueb) is a Tunisian politician and inventor. A former member of Ennahda, she was elected to the Assembly of the Representatives of the People in the 2014 Tunisian parliamentary election for the Sidi Bouzi ...
(1981–), Tunisian politician and inventor


Other

*
Abbas Ibn Firnas Abu al-Qasim Abbas ibn Firnas ibn Wirdas al-Takurini ( ar, أبو القاسم عباس بن فرناس بن ورداس التاكرني; c. 809/810 – 887 A.D.), also known as Abbas ibn Firnas ( ar, عباس ابن فرناس), Latinized Armen ...
(809–887) * Nur ad-Din al-Betrugi (died c. 1204) *
Tertullian Tertullian (; la, Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus; 155 AD – 220 AD) was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He was the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of L ...
(ca. 160–ca. 220), Christian Berber author and writer of Christian Latin literature. *
Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Af ...
(354–430), Bishop of Hippo Regius and Romanized Berber philosopher and theologian.


Algeria

*
Muhammad al-Maghili Muhammad ibn Abd al-Karim al-Maghili (), commonly known as Muhammad al-Maghili (14401505) was a Berber 'alim from Tlemcen, the capital of the Kingdom of Tlemcen, now in modern-day Algeria. Al-Maghili was responsible for converting to Islam the ru ...
(died c. 1505), Islamic scholar from Tlemcen in modern-day Algeria.


Morocco

* Rachid Yazami (1953–), French Moroccan scientist best known for his research on lithium ion batteries.


Sudanese

*
Mo Ibrahim Mohammed "Mo" Ibrahim ( ar, محمد إبراهيم; born 3 May 1946) is a Sudanese-British billionaire businessman. He worked for several telecommunications companies, before founding Celtel, which when sold had over 24 million mobile phone s ...
, (1946–), Sudanese-born British mobile communications entrepreneur and engineer * Ali M. El-Agraa (1941–), economist *
Mohamed Osman Baloola Mohamed Osman Baloola ( ar, (محمد عثمان بلولة) born April 14, 1981) is a Sudanese scientist and inventor who was named among ''The World's 500 Most influential Arabs in 2012 and 2013''
(1981–), biomedical engineer who works on
diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...
monitoring *
Mamoun Beheiry Mamoun Ahmed Abdel Wahab Beheiry (October 1925 – August 2002) was a Sudanese economist, known for his contributions to African and Arab banking establishments. Education Following earlier education at Wad Madani primary schools, Beheiry a ...
(1925–2002), economist, president of the
African Development Bank The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) or (BAD) is a multilateral development finance institution headquartered in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, since September 2014. The AfDB is a financial provider to African governments and private companies i ...
and twice finance minister *
Nashwa Eassa Nashwa Abo Alhassan Eassa is a nano-particle physicist from Sudan. She is an assistant professor of physics at Al-Neelain University in Khartoum. Education Eassa received her BSc in physics from the University of Khartoum in 2004. She earned her ...
(19??–), nano-particle physicist *
Ismail El Gizouli Ismail Abdel Rahim El Gizouli is a Sudanese civil servant specializing in energy and environment and a member of the bureau of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He has acted as interim chairman of the IPCC since 24 February 2015 ...
, acting president of the
IPCC The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations. Its job is to advance scientific knowledge about climate change caused by human activities. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ...
* Mohamed H.A. Hassan (1947–), mathematician and physicist


East Africa


Ethiopian

*
Rediet Abebe Rediet Abebe (Amharic: ረድኤት አበበ; born 1991) is an Ethiopian computer scientist working in algorithms and artificial intelligence. She is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Previousl ...
(1991–), Ethiopian computer scientist and was appointed at the
Harvard Society of Fellows The Society of Fellows is a group of scholars selected at the beginnings of their careers by Harvard University for their potential to advance academic wisdom, upon whom are bestowed distinctive opportunities to foster their individual and intell ...
as the first female computer scientist. *
Berhane Asfaw Berhane Asfaw (Amharic: በርሃነ አስፋው) (born August 22, 1954 in Gondar, Ethiopia) is an Ethiopian paleontologist of Rift Valley Research Service, who co-discovered human skeletal remains at Herto Bouri, Ethiopia later classified as ...
a (1954–), Ethiopian paleontologist. *
Giday WoldeGabriel Giday WoldeGabriel is an Ethiopian geologist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, who co-discovered human skeletal remains at Herto Bouri, Ethiopia, now classified as ''Homo sapiens idaltu Herto Man refers to the 154,000 - 160,000-year-old human ...
a (1955–), Ethiopian geologist. *
Gebisa Ejeta Gebisa Ejeta (born 1950) is an Ethiopian American plant breeder, geneticist and Professor at Purdue University. In 2009, he won the World Food Prize for his major contributions in the production of sorghum. Early years Ejeta was born in the ...
(1950–), Ethiopian plant breeder and geneticist who won the 2009
World Food Prize The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world. Conceived by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nor ...
. * Sossina M. Haile (1966–), professor of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering at the
California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...
. *
Mulugeta Bekele Mulugeta Bekele (born 2 January 1947) is an Ethiopian scientist and academic. He is an associate Professor of Physics at Addis Ababa University (AAU), Ethiopia. He completed his PhD in Physics at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Indi ...
(1947–), Professor of Physics at
Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa University (AAU) ( am, አዲስ አበባ ዩኒቨርሲቲ) is a national university located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is the oldest university in Ethiopia. AAU has thirteen campuses. Twelve of these are situated in Addis Ababa, ...
. *
Aklilu Lemma Aklilu Lemma (; 18 September 1935 – 5 April 1997) was an Ethiopian pathobiologist. In 1989, he was awarded the Right Livelihood Award "for discovering and campaigning relentlessly for an affordable preventative against bilharzia." Education ...
(1934–1997), Ethiopian physician and was co-awarded the 1989
Right Livelihood Award The Right Livelihood Award is an international award to "honour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today." The prize was established in 1980 by German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob v ...
. *
Dessalegn Rahmato Dessalegn Rahmato is an Ethiopian sociologist. He was born in 1940 in Adama and he studied in the United States. He is specialized in agricultural development, famine and resettlement.Zewde, Bahru (2008biography/ref> In 1970, Rahmato published hi ...
(1940–), Ethiopia sociologist and was awarded the 1998 Prince Claus Award. *
Legesse Wolde-Yohannes Legesse Wolde-Yohannes is an Ethiopian horticultural scientist. He cooperated with Aklilu Lemma on the discovery and research on how to use the plant endod as a means of preventing the parasitic disease bilharzia Schistosomiasis, also known a ...
, Ethiopian horticultural scientist and was co-awarded the 1989
Right Livelihood Award The Right Livelihood Award is an international award to "honour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today." The prize was established in 1980 by German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob v ...
. *
Melaku Worede Melaku Worede (; 1936 – 31 July 2023) was an Ethiopian geneticist and agronomist renowned for building one of the finest seed conservation centres in the world, employing science to benefit poor farmers, and saving Africa's seeds from oblivion ...
(1936–), Ethiopian horticultural scientist and was co-awarded the 1989
Right Livelihood Award The Right Livelihood Award is an international award to "honour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today." The prize was established in 1980 by German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob v ...
. * Gebrekidan Gebresilassie Eshetu (2013–), Ethiopian scientist in Electrochemical Energy Storage at RWTH Aachen University. *
Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher (; born 19 February 1940) is an Ethiopian scientist who won the Right Livelihood Award in 2000 "for his exemplary work to safeguard biodiversity and the traditional rights of farmers and communities to their geneti ...
(1940–), Ethiopian environmental scientist and the General Manager of the Environmental Protection Authority of Ethiopia. He was awarded the 2000
Right Livelihood Award The Right Livelihood Award is an international award to "honour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today." The prize was established in 1980 by German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob v ...
and 2006
Champions of the Earth The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established Champions of the Earth in 2005 as an annual awards programme to recognize outstanding environmental leaders from the public and private sectors, and from civil society. Award details T ...
.


Somali

* Osman Aden Abdulle
geneticist A geneticist is a biologist or physician who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a scientist or a lecturer. Geneticists may perform general research on genetic processe ...
; has studied the Somali blood type and its ethnogenesis; in 1987 he jointly discovered with his colleagues a new Rh gene complex producing the rare Cx (Rh9) antigen in the Somali population * Abdusalam Abubakar (1989/90–) – one of the youngest winners of the BT Young Scientist of the Year Award; later went on to win the European Union Contest for Young Scientists for his project, ''An Extension of Wiener's Attack on RSA'' * Hassan al-Jabarti (d. 1774) –
mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change. History On ...
,
theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
,
astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, g ...
and
philosopher A philosopher is a person who practices or investigates philosophy. The term ''philosopher'' comes from the grc, φιλόσοφος, , translit=philosophos, meaning 'lover of wisdom'. The coining of the term has been attributed to the Greek th ...
, considered one of the great scholars of the 18th century * Amina Said Ali – author, poet, and medical scientist based in Stockholm, Sweden * Ali Said Faqi – scientist and the leading researcher on the design and interpretation of
toxicology Toxicology is a scientific discipline, overlapping with biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and medicine, that involves the study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms and the practice of diagnosing and treating expo ...
studies at the MPI research center in
Mattawan, Michigan Mattawan is a village in Antwerp Township, Van Buren County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,997 at the 2010 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which is land ...
*
Jama Musse Jama Jama Musse Jama ( so, Jaamac Muuse Jaamac, ar, جامع موسى جامع) (b. 1967) is a prominent Somali people, Somali ethnomathematics, ethnomathematician and author. He is notable for his research on traditional Culture of Somalia, Somali ...
(1967–) – ethnomathematician and author; known for his research on traditional Somali board games such as Shax and the history of mathematics in the
Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
and the founder of Hargeysa Cultural Centre *
Ahmed Mumin Warfa Ahmed Mumin Warfa ( so, Axmed Mumiin Warfa, ar, أحمد مومين وارفا) was a Somali scientist specializing in botany, who with his colleague Mats Thulin discovered '' Cyclamen somalense''. He served as president (rector) of the Zamz ...
– scientist, specialized in
botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...
and jointly discovered the
Cyclamen ''Cyclamen'' ( or ) is a genus of 23 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. ''Cyclamen'' species are native to Europe and the Mediterranean Basin east to the Caucasus and Iran, with one species in Somalia. They gro ...
somalense, the first
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
from
tropical Africa Although tropical Africa is mostly familiar to the West for its rainforests, this biogeographic realm of Africa is far more diverse. While the tropics are thought of as regions with hot moist climates, which are caused by latitude and the trop ...
with his colleague Mats Thulin; the "world's pre-eminent authority on frankincense"; professor at
Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) is a public community college in Salt Lake County, Utah. It is the state's largest two-year college with the most diverse student body. It serves more than 60,000 students on 10 campuses as well as through onl ...
*
Shaykh Sufi Abd Al-Rahman bin Abdullah al Shashi ( ar, عبد الرحمن بن عبد الله الشاشي) (b. 1829 - 1904), popularly known as Sheikh Sufi, was a 19th-century Somali scholar, poet, reformist and astrologist. Life Sheikh Sufi was born in M ...
– popularly known as Sheikh Sufi, was a 19th-century Somali
scholar A scholar is a person who pursues academic and intellectual activities, particularly academics who apply their intellectualism into expertise in an area of study. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researche ...
,
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
,
reformist Reformism is a political doctrine advocating the reform of an existing system or institution instead of its abolition and replacement. Within the socialist movement, reformism is the view that gradual changes through existing institutions can eve ...
and
astrologist Astrology is a range of divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. Dif ...
* Ahmed Ismail Samatar – prominent Somali writer, professor and former
dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean Titles * ...
of the Institute for Global Citizenship at
Macalester College Macalester College () is a private liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1874, Macalester is exclusively an undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 2,174 students in the fall of 2018 from 50 U.S. states, four U.S te ...
. He is the editor of Bildhaan: An International Journal of Somali Studies, and brother of
Abdi Ismail Samatar Abdi Ismail Samatar ( so, Cabdi Ismaaciil Samatar, ar, عبدي إسماعيل ساماتار) (born 1950) is a Somali scholar, writer and professor of geography. Personal life Samatar was born in 1956 in Gabiley in Somaliland. He is the brother ...
, chair of the
geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...
department at the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...
. * Abdigani Diriye - (born 1986) is a Somali computer scientist and research scientist at IBM Research – Africa, working in the fields of human-computer interaction (HCI), data mining and
financial technology Fintech, a portmanteau of "financial technology", refers to firms using new technology to compete with traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial services. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, and big data are ...
(FinTech). Diriye was named a TEDGlobal 2017 fellow, an
MIT Technology Review ''MIT Technology Review'' is a bimonthly magazine wholly owned by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and editorially independent of the university. It was founded in 1899 as ''The Technology Review'', and was re-launched without "The" in ...
'Innovator Under 35', and a 'Next Einstein Forum' fellow. *
Shaykh Sufi Abd Al-Rahman bin Abdullah al Shashi ( ar, عبد الرحمن بن عبد الله الشاشي) (b. 1829 - 1904), popularly known as Sheikh Sufi, was a 19th-century Somali scholar, poet, reformist and astrologist. Life Sheikh Sufi was born in M ...
- (b. 1829 - 1904), popularly known as Sheikh Sufi, was a 19th-century Somali scholar,
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
,
reformist Reformism is a political doctrine advocating the reform of an existing system or institution instead of its abolition and replacement. Within the socialist movement, reformism is the view that gradual changes through existing institutions can eve ...
and
astrologist Astrology is a range of divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. Dif ...
. *
Abdi Ismail Samatar Abdi Ismail Samatar ( so, Cabdi Ismaaciil Samatar, ar, عبدي إسماعيل ساماتار) (born 1950) is a Somali scholar, writer and professor of geography. Personal life Samatar was born in 1956 in Gabiley in Somaliland. He is the brother ...
- (born 1950) is a Somali scholar, writer and professor of geography.


Eritrean

*
Haile Debas Haile Debas (born 1937, AsmaraFikes, RobertHaile Debas T. (1937- )at blackpast.org) is an Eritrean physician and academic administrator at the University of California, San Francisco. Life Haile T. Debas was born in Asmara, Eritrea, in 1937. Fo ...
(1937–), Eritrean who achieved national recognition as a gastrointestinal investigator and made original contributions to the physiology, biochemistry, and pathophysiology of gastrointestinal peptide hormones.


Kenyan

*
Wangari Maathai Wangarĩ Muta Maathai (; 1 April 1940 – 25 September 2011) was a Kenyan social, environmental and a political activist and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. As a beneficiary of the Kennedy Airlift, she studied in the Un ...
(1940–2010), Kenyan environmental and political activist who won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. * Thomas R. Odhiambo (1931–2003), Kenyan entomologist and environmental activist. *
Henry Odera Oruka Henry Odera Oruka (1 June 1944, Nyanza Province – 9 December 1995, Nairobi) was a Kenyan philosopher who is best known for "Sage Philosophy". It was a project started in the 1970s in an attempt to preserve the knowledge of the indigenous thin ...
(1944–1995), Kenyan philosopher known for Sage philosophy project started in the 1970s. *
Calestous Juma Calestous Juma (9 June 1953 – 15 December 2017) was a Kenyan scientist and academia, specializing in sustainable development. He was named one of the most influential 100 Africans in 2012, 2013 and 2014 by the ''New African'' magazine. He w ...
(1953–2017), Kenyan internationally recognised authority in the application of science and technology to
sustainable development Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The des ...
worldwide. *
Paula Kahumbu Paula Kahumbu is a wildlife conservationist and chief executive officer of WildlifeDirect. She is best known as a campaigner for elephants and wildlife, spearheading the Hands Off Our Elephants Campaign, which was launched in 2014 with Kenyan Firs ...
(1966–), Kenyan wildlife conservationist and Chief Executive Officer of
WildlifeDirect WildlifeDirect is a Kenya and US registered charitable organisation founded by African conservationist Richard Leakey. Its main office is located in Nairobi, Kenya. WildlifeDirect was established in 2006 to provide support to conservationists ...
. * Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye (1928–2015), Kenyan poet, novelist and missionary bookseller also known as the "Mother of Kenyan literature". * Ngugi wa thion'go (1938–), Kenyan writer and literature academic. *
Richard Leakey Richard Erskine Frere Leakey (19 December 1944 – 2 January 2022) was a Kenyan paleoanthropologist, conservationist and politician. Leakey held a number of official positions in Kenya, mostly in institutions of archaeology and wildlife conse ...
(1944–2022), Kenyan paleoanthropologist and wildlife conservationist. *
Meja Mwangi Meja Mwangi (born 27 December 1948) is a Kenyan writer. He has worked in the film industry, including in screenwriting, assistant directing, and casting. Biography Mwangi was born David Dominic Mwangi in Nanyuki, Kenya, and was educated at Nany ...
(1948–), Award winning Kenyan novelist and writer of plays and children's books. *
Grace Ogot Grace Emily Ogot (née Akinyi; 15 May 1930 – 18 March 2015) was a Kenyan author, nurse, journalist, politician and diplomat. Together with Charity Waciuma she was the first Anglophone female Kenyan writer to be published.Mike Kuria, ed. ''Ta ...
(1930–2015), Kenyan author and first
anglophone Speakers of English are also known as Anglophones, and the countries where English is natively spoken by the majority of the population are termed the ''Anglosphere''. Over two billion people speak English , making English the largest language ...
Kenyan female writer to be published, together with
Charity Waciuma Charity Waciuma (born 1936) is a Kenyan writer, who wrote several novels for adolescents and an autobiographical novel, ''Daughter of Mumbi'' (1969). Her work draws on Kikuyu legends and storytelling traditions. In the 1960s Waciuma and Grace Ogot ...
.


Ugandan

* Venansius Baryamureeba, Ugandan professor of computer science and educationist. * Kwatsi Alibaruho, Ugandan-American flight director at NASA. *
Ivan Edwards (physician) Ivan Edwards FRSA is an American doctor, of Ugandan-European heritage, a former pastor, and a US Air Force Reserve flight surgeon, currently serving at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was involved in a community activist role in a neighborh ...
, Ugandan-American physician and
Flight surgeon A flight surgeon is a military medical officer practicing in the clinical field of aviation medicine. Although the term "flight surgery" is considered improper by purists, it may occasionally be encountered. Flight surgeons are physicians ( MD ...
in the US Air Force Reserve. He started a Child Sponsorship Program for displaced orphans in Uganda.


Tanzanian


Fredrick Ishengoma
Tanzanian scientist and the leading researcher on information systems.


West Africa


Cameroonian

*
Ibrahim Njoya King Ibrahim Mbouombouo Njoya ( Bamum: , ''Iparəim Nʃuɔiya'', formerly spelled in Bamum as , and Germanicized as ''Njoja'') in Yaoundé, was seventeenth in a long dynasty of kings that ruled over Bamum and its people in western Cameroon dati ...
(c. 1860 – c. 1933), ruler of the Bamum people, in what is now western
Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
credited with developing a semi-syllabic
Bamum script The Bamum scripts are an evolutionary series of six scripts created for the Bamum language by Ibrahim Njoya, King of Bamum (now western Cameroon) at the turn of the 19th century. They are notable for evolving from a pictographic system to a s ...
which evolved from the rudimentary pictographic script to a more advanced logo graphic script, which he later refined to the semi-syllabic script known to the world today. * Pelkins Ajanoh, Cameroonian graduate of
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...
, invented a novel technology for calibrating radars for self-driving cars while pursuing an internship at
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
. * Alfred Ngwa, Cameroonian Biochemist with experience and research interest in the use of biotechnology and genomics to understand the evolution and transmission of infectious pathogens, and to develop new interventions towards their elimination


Congo

*
Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum Jean-Jacques Muyembe is a Congolese microbiologist. He is the general director of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Institut National pour la Recherche Biomedicale (''INRB''). He was part of team at the Yambuku Catholic Mission Hospital that ...
, Congolese microbiologist, investigated the first Ebola outbreak, and was part of the effort that discovered Ebola as a new disease. In August 2019, he led the research that discovered the most effective treatment for Ebola, mAb114, working with other researchers at the INRB and the
National Institute of Health The National Institutes of Health, commonly referred to as NIH (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in the late 1 ...
Vaccine Research Center The Vaccine Research Center (VRC), is an intramural division of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The mission of ...
in the US.


Gambian

*
Tumani Corrah Professor Sir Tumani Corrah is a Gambian clinician whose fields of research include tuberculosis, HIV and malaria. Corrah is Director of the Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) and Director, Africa Research Development, Medical Research Coun ...
is a Gambian clinician whose fields of research include tuberculosis, HIV and malaria.


Ghanaian

* Alexander Anim-Mensah, Ghanaian-American chemical engineer, inventor, and author. He is known for the contributions towards the field of
membrane A membrane is a selective barrier; it allows some things to pass through but stops others. Such things may be molecules, ions, or other small particles. Membranes can be generally classified into synthetic membranes and biological membranes. B ...
Science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
and technology. * Laud Anthony Basing, Ghanaian, scientist and innovator


Malian

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Mohammed Bagayogo Mohammed Bagayogo Es Sudane Al Wangari Al Timbukti was an eminent scholar from Timbuktu, Mali. He was the Sheik and professor of highly esteemed scholar, Ahmed Baba and teacher at the Sankore Madrasah, one of three philosophical schools in Mal ...
(1523–1593), eminent scholar from Timbuktu, Mali. * Modibo Mohammed Al Kaburi, scholar, Cadi and Jurist, and university professor, from Timbuktu, Mali. *
Cheick Modibo Diarra Cheick Modibo Diarra (born 1952) is a Malian astrophysicist, businessman, and politician who was acting Prime Minister of Mali from April 2012 to December 2012. On 11 December 2012, Diarra presented his resignation on state television in a bro ...
, (1952–), Malian-born aerospace engineer who contributed to several NASA missions such as Mars Path Finder, the Galileo spacecraft, and the Mars Observer. * Ahmad Baba (1556–1627), medieval West African writer, scholar, and political provocateur.


Sierra Leonean

* Abioseh Davidson Nicol, medical doctor, university principal, poet, author, and discover of the breakdown of
insulin Insulin (, from Latin ''insula'', 'island') is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets encoded in humans by the ''INS'' gene. It is considered to be the main anabolic hormone of the body. It regulates the metabolism o ...
in the human body. * Edward Wilmot Blyden III, diplomat,
political scientist Political science is the science, scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of politics, political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated c ...
and
educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...
. * Abu Bakarr Kanu,
academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...
and
chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...
. *
Ogunlade Davidson Ogunlade Davidson (26 May 1949 – 8 October 2022) was a Sierra Leonean scientist who was co-chair of the Working Group III, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change from 1997 until 2001, during the 4th Assessment Report. He was also an IPCC Vice ...
, academic and
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
. *
Noah Arthur Cox-George Dr. Noah Arthur William Cox-George, also known as N. A. Cox-George or Professor "Willie" (June 15, 1915 – November 12, 2004), was a Sierra Leone Creole economist and academic whose work, ''Finance and Development in West Africa: The Sierra Leon ...
, academic and
economist An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social sciences, social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this ...
. * Akintola Josephus Wyse, academic, author and
historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...
. * Aisha Fofana Ibrahim, academic and
activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...
. * Cyril Foray, academic, author and historian. * Arthur Daniel Porter III, academic, author and historian. *
Olumbe Bassir Olumbe Bassir (1919–2001) was a Nigerian scientist, author and academic. His primary contributions to research were in the areas of aflatoxins, nutrition, and peace research. Early life and education Born in Senegal to Sierra Leonean Oku p ...
, academic,
biochemist Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and Cell (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...
and activist. * Violet Showers Johnson, academic, author and historian. *
Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh is a Sierra Leonean politician and the current Vice President of Sierra Leone since 4 April 2018. Jalloh is a political scientist, businessman and a former United Nations official. Jalloh is a senior member of the Sierra L ...
, political scientist and politician. *
Kandeh Baba Conteh Dr. Kandeh Baba Conteh (born October 15, 1958) is a Sierra Leonean politician and political scientist. He is the leader of the Peace and Liberation Party (PLP). Conteh was appointed ambassador of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council junta in ...
, political scientist and politician. *
Kadi Sesay Kadi Sesay (born March 4, 1949) is a Sierra Leonean politician, feminist, pro-democracy advocate and the vice presidential candididate of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). She served as Sierra Leone Minister of Trade and Industry from 200 ...
, feminist, politician and
linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
. * Eustace Palmer, academic,
literary critic Literary criticism (or literary studies) is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of literature's goals and methods. Th ...
and author. * Omotunde E.G. Johnson,
economist An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social sciences, social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this ...
and researcher. * Aminata Isatu Kamara, MBA, Academic, and NON Commissioner Officer(U.S. Military)


Nigerian

* Chris Abani (born 27 December 1966),
Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
and American author *
Catherine Obianuju Acholonu Catherine Obianuju Acholonu (26 October 1951 – 18 March 2014) was a Nigerian author, researcher and political activist. She served as a Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Arts and Culture, and was a founder-member ...
(26 October 1951 – 18 March 2014),
Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
writer, researcher and former lecturer on African Cultural and Gender Studies. *
Akin Adesokan Akin Adesokan is a Nigerian writer, scholar and novelist with research interests into twentieth and twenty-first century African and African American/African Diaspora literature and cultures. He is currently the associate professor of comparat ...
,
Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
writer, scholar and novelist *
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ( ; born 15 September 1977) is a Nigerian writer whose works include novels, short stories and nonfiction. She was described in ''The Times Literary Supplement'' as "the most prominent" of a "procession of criticall ...
(born 15 September 1977), Nigerian writer whose works range from novels to short stories to nonfiction *
Toyin Adewale-Gabriel Toyin Adewale-Gabriel (born 1969) is a Nigerian writer. She writes poetry and has worked as a literary critic for ''The Guardian'', ''Post Express'' and ''The Daily Times''. Adewale-Gabriel writes in both English and in German. Biography Born ...
(born 1969),
Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
writer * Ifi Amadiume (born 23 April 1947),
Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
poet, anthropologist and essayist * Yemisi Aribisala (born 27 April 1973),
Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
essayist, writer, painter, and food memoirist * Nnorom Azuonye (born 12 July 1967), publisher, theater director,
playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...
,
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
and advertising professional. * Jonathan O. Chimakonam,
logician Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the science of deductively valid inferences or of logical truths. It is a formal science investigating how conclusions follow from premises ...
studying African Philosophy, developed the Ezumezu system of
Three-valued logic In logic, a three-valued logic (also trinary logic, trivalent, ternary, or trilean, sometimes abbreviated 3VL) is any of several many-valued logic systems in which there are three truth values indicating ''true'', ''false'' and some indeterminate ...
* Chinwe Nwogo Ezeani, Nigerian Chartered
Librarian A librarian is a person who works professionally in a library providing access to information, and sometimes social or technical programming, or instruction on information literacy to users. The role of the librarian has changed much over time, ...
and the former University Librarian of Nnamdi Azkiwe Library University of Nigeria Nsukka. *
Philip Emeagwali Philip Emeagwali (born 23 August 1954) is a Nigerian computer scientist. He won the 1989 Gordon Bell Prize for price-performance in high-performance computing applications, in an oil reservoir modeling calculation using a novel mathematical formu ...
, computer scientist mathematician and engineer * Odafe Atogun, Nigerian writer *
John Ogbu John Uzo Ogbu (May 9, 1939 – August 20, 2003) was a Nigerian-American anthropologist and professor known for his theories on observed phenomena involving race and intelligence, especially how race and ethnic differences played out in educational ...
(1939–2003), Nigerian-American anthropologist and university professor *
Chika Okeke-Agulu Chika Okeke-Agulu () is a Nigerian artist, art historian, art curator, and blogger specializing in African and African diaspora art history. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey. Biography Chika Okeke-Agulu was born in Umuahia in Nigeria in 19 ...
(born, September 18, 1966), art historian, professor and director of African Studies,
Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...
* Seyi Oyesola, Nigerian doctor, who co-invented hospital in a box *
Bisi Ezerioha Ndubisi "Bisi" Ezerioha (born January 6, 1972) is a Nigerian Americans, Nigerian-American engineer, professional Auto racing, race car driver, entrepreneur and engine builder. He is the current CEO and Chief Engineer for Bisimoto Engineering. Ez ...
(born 1972), Nigerian engineer, racer and former pharmaceutical executive who has built some of the world's most powerful Honda and Porsche engines. *
Bennet Omalu Bennet Ifeakandu Omalu (born September 30, 1968"About Bennet Omalu"
, B ...
(born 1968), Nigerian forensic pathologist, who discovered a neurological deterioration that is similar to Alzheimer's disease while conducting an autopsy on former NFL football player Mike Webster. The 2015 film ''
Concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
'' played by actor
Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his Will Smith filmography, acting career starring as Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), a ...
was released shedding light on the doctor's fight to reveal his discovery despite major pushback from the NFL. * Suleiman Elias Bogoro is professor of
Animal Science Animal science is described as "studying the biology of animals that are under the control of humankind". It can also be described as the production and management of farm animals. Historically, the degree was called animal husbandry and the ...
, specializing in
Biochemistry Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...
and Ruminant Nutrition.


Senegalese

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Cheikh Anta Diop Cheikh Anta Diop (29 December 1923 – 7 February 1986) was a Senegalese historian, anthropologist, physicist, and politician who studied the human race's origins and pre-colonial African culture. Diop's work is considered foundational to the th ...
(1923–1986), Senegalese historian, anthropologist, physicist and politician.


Southern Africa


South African

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Christiaan Barnard Christiaan Neethling Barnard (8 November 1922 – 2 September 2001) was a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first human-to-human heart transplant operation. On 3 December 1967, Barnard transplanted the heart of accident-v ...
(1922–2001), South African cardiac surgeon, who performed the world's first successful human-to-human heart transplant. *
Sydney Brenner Sydney Brenner (13 January 1927 – 5 April 2019) was a South African biologist. In 2002, he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with H. Robert Horvitz and Sir John E. Sulston. Brenner made significant contributions to work ...
(1927–2019), South African biologist, who won the 2002 Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine. *
Allan McLeod Cormack Allan MacLeod Cormack (February 23, 1924 – May 7, 1998) was a South African American physicist who won the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (along with Godfrey Hounsfield) for his work on X-ray computed tomography (CT). Early life ...
(1924–1998), South African-born American physicist, who won the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. *
Mulalo Doyoyo Mulalo Doyoyo (born 13 August 1970) is a South African engineer, inventor, and professor. Doyoyo is a researcher in applied mechanics, ultralight materials, green building, renewable energy, and other fields of engineering. He has lectured ...
(born 1970), South African professor, engineer and inventor. * Trefor Jenkins (born 1932), human geneticist from South Africa, noted for his work on DNA. * Aaron Klug (1926–2018), Lithuanian-born British chemist and biophysicist, who won the 1982 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He moved to South Africa at the age of two and studied at the University of Witwatersrand and the University of Cape Town. *
Tshilidzi Marwala Tshilidzi Marwala (born 28 July 1971) is a South African artificial intelligence engineer, a computer scientist, a mechanical engineer and a university administrator. Early life and education Marwala was born at Duthuni Village in the Li ...
(born 1971), South African scientist and inventor. *
Thebe Medupe Thebe Rodney Medupe (born 1973) is a South African astrophysicist and founding director of Astronomy Africa. He is perhaps best known for his work on the ''Cosmic Africa'' project that attempts to reconcile science and myth.Schieb, R. ''Cosmic A ...
(born 1973), South African astrophysicist and founding director of Astronomy Africa. * Azwinndini Muronga, professor of physics and dean of science. * Philiswa Nomngongo, professor of Analytical Chemistry and the South African Research Chair (SARChI) in nanotechnology for water. *
Himla Soodyall Himla (Himladevi) Soodyall (b Durban, 1963) is a South African geneticist involved in finding some of the oldest human genetic lines, mainly focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa. Her work on DNA has pointed to southern Africa as the most likely geogra ...
(born 1963), South African human geneticist, known for genetic research into the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa. * Andries Van Aarde (born 1951), professor of theology at University of Pretoria. *
Quarraisha Abdool Karim Quarraisha Abdool Karim is an infectious diseases epidemiologist and co-founder and Associate Scientific Director of CAPRISA. She is a Professor in Clinical Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York and Pro-Vice Chancellor for African Health, ...
, South African HIV researcher


Tanzanian

* Felix A. Chami, archaeologist and university professor from Tanzania. * Erasto B. Mpemba (born 1950), Tanzanian scientist and physicist who discovered the eponymous Mpemba effect, a paradoxical phenomenon in which hot water freezes faster than cold water under certain conditions.


African diaspora

*
List of African-American inventors and scientists This list of African Americans inventors and scientists documents many of the African-Americans who have invented a multitude of items or made discoveries in the course of their lives. These have ranged from practical everyday devices to applicat ...


References

{{Reflist Science and technology in Africa African educators, scientists and scholars African educators, scientists and scholars African educators, scientists and scholars