Nigerian-Born AI Professor Earns Global Recognition in Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

• Says Africa should not remain only a consumer of AI systems developed elsewhere

Oluchi Chibuzor

Centre of Intelligence of Things (CIoTh), University of Greater Manchester, has announced the latest international recognition of Professor Celestine Iwendi, Head of CIoTh, following his inclusion in the Scholarly Index Top1000 Scholar 2026 rankings for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.

The recognition came as Iwendi said Africa should not remain only a consumer of AI systems developed elsewhere, but must invest in their own universities, young researchers, data infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems.

In the 2021–2025 impact window, Iwendi was ranked 57th globally, second in Great Britain, and placed within the Top 0.69 per cent worldwide.

The ranking certificate also records an impact score of 96.93, a category D-index of 6, and an H-index of 36 for the period.

For the Lifetime impact window, he was ranked 125th globally, sixth in Great Britain, and within the Top 0.83 per cent worldwide, as the lifetime certificate recorded an impact score of 96.20, a category D-index of 7, and an H-index of 46.

The recognition highlights Iwendi’s growing international research footprint in Artificial Intelligence, digital health, intelligent systems, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, and reflects the expanding profile of research being developed through CIoTh and the wider University of Greater Manchester community.

Iwendi, a Nigerian-born academic, has built a career around applying artificial intelligence to practical societal challenges, particularly in healthcare, intelligent systems, and secure digital technologies.

His work has focused on how AI can move beyond theory into real-world applications that improve decision-making, efficiency, accessibility, and human wellbeing.

Speaking on the recognition, Iwendi said the ranking should be viewed not only as a personal achievement but also as evidence of the growing importance of sustained collaboration in research.

He stated, “I am deeply grateful for this recognition. Research is never a solitary journey. I owe a great deal to my mentors, collaborators, colleagues and students whose ideas, commitment and support continue to shape the work we do.”

He added that his motivation remained centred on impact rather than ranking.

According to him, “For me, the most important question is not simply where one is ranked, but whether the research is solving real problems. In Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, we have a responsibility to ensure that innovation translates into better outcomes for patients, stronger health systems, improved diagnostics, safer technologies and greater access to quality care.”

Iwendi also stated that the recognition came at a time when African countries, including Nigeria, must become more intentional about building capacity in artificial intelligence.

He said, “Africa should not remain only a consumer of AI systems developed elsewhere. We must invest in our universities, our young researchers, our data infrastructure and our innovation ecosystems.

“Nigeria has the talent to become a major contributor to global AI research, but that potential must be matched with sustained investment, stronger university-industry collaboration and policies that support responsible innovation.”

Iwendi said AI in healthcare presented a particularly significant opportunity for Nigeria and other developing economies.

He stated, “Artificial Intelligence can support earlier diagnosis, improve disease prediction, strengthen hospital workflows, expand access to specialist knowledge, and help address shortages in healthcare personnel.

“But these systems must be trustworthy, explainable and designed around the realities of the communities they are intended to serve,” he stated.

According to him, the next phase of AI development must place greater emphasis on responsible AI, ethical deployment, data protection, and human-centred design.

He maintained, “We should not pursue AI simply because it is fashionable. The technology must serve humanity. The real measure of success will be whether AI helps us reduce inequality, improve lives and create systems that people can trust.”

Through CIoTh, Iwendi continues to work with researchers, students, and international partners on projects spanning artificial intelligence, Internet of Things technologies, medical AI, cybersecurity, computer vision, and intelligent systems.

The latest Scholarly Index recognition adds to a growing list of international acknowledgements of his academic and research contributions and further strengthens the visibility of the University of Greater Manchester in the global AI research community.

Iwendi dedicated the recognition to his research community, describing it as a shared achievement.

He said, “I see this as encouragement to do more. The goal is to continue producing research that is rigorous, relevant and capable of making a measurable difference, particularly in areas where technology can improve human life.”

The recognition comes under the Top1000 Scholar 2026 edition of Scholarly Index and covers both the 2021–2025 impact period and the researcher’s lifetime scholarly impact.