• Alvan-Emeka K Ukachukwu, Olaniyi D Ogundeji, Nancy Abu-Bonsrah, Megan E H Still, Yesel Trillo-Ordonez, Ehita N Oboh, Shiva A Nischal, Di D Deng, Chiazam Ugorji, Andreas Seas, Oluwakemi A Badejo, Toluyemi A Malomo, Evaristus E Nwaribe, Toyin A Oyemolade, Oghenekevwe E Okere, Ena Oboh, Romaric Waguia-Kouam, Raphia Rahman, Isaac Asemota, Ramya Reddy, Megan von Isenburg, Michael M Haglund, Anthony T Fuller, and Amos O Adeleye.
• Duke University Division of Global Neurosurgery and Neurology, Durham, North Carolina, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina, USA. Electronic address: alvan.ukachukwu@duke.edu.
• World Neurosurg. 2024 May 1; 185: e86e98e86-e98.

ObjectiveThis study investigates the scope, trends, and challenges of neurosurgical research in Nigeria since inception of the specialty in 1962.MethodsA bibliometric review of the neurosurgical literature from Nigeria was performed. Variables extracted included year and journal of publication, article topic, article type, research type, study design, article focus area, and limitations. Descriptive and quantitative analyses were performed for all variables. Trends of research publications were described in three periods: pioneering (1962-1981), recession (1982-2001), and resurgent (2002-2021).ResultsOf the 1023 included articles, 10.0% were published in the pioneering period, 9.2% in the recession period, and 80.8% in the resurgent period. Papers were predominantly published in World Neurosurgery (4.5%) and Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice (4.0%). A total of 79.9% of the 4618 authors were from Nigerian institutions; 86.3% of the articles covered clinical research and were mainly focused on service delivery and epidemiology (89.9%). The most prominent topics were traumatic brain injury (25.8%) and central nervous system malignancy (21.4%). Only 4.4% of the publications received funding, mostly from agencies in the United States (31.7%). Barriers to neurosurgical research included lack of clinical databases (18.0%), increasing burden of disease (12.5%), and diagnostic challenges (12.4%).ConclusionsNeurosurgical research in Nigeria continues to grow due to increased training, workforce, and infrastructural improvements. Addressing the major challenges through establishment of research databases, development of evidence-based management guidelines, and increasing research training, funding and opportunities can increase research capacity in Nigeria.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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