Bayero University Physiotherapy Don Makes World’s Top 2% Scientists List

Dr Auwal Abdullahi, an Associate Professor of Physiotherapy at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), has been recognised among the World’s Top 2% Scientists in the 2026 edition of the global research ranking.

Abdullahi, who teaches in the Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, is ranked 3,204th among 379,830 researchers in the Neurology and Neurosurgery sub-field under Clinical Medicine.

The achievement was disclosed in Bayero University’s official bulletin on Friday, October 9, 2026, according to Daily Trust.

The physiotherapy scholar holds a PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of Antwerp, Belgium. His inclusion in the 2026 ranking marks his first appearance on the list.

Three Other BUK Scholars Make the List

Abdullahi is among four Bayero University academics recognised in the 2026 edition of the ranking.

Professor Abdulrazaq Garba Habib, of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, is ranked 83rd among 39,335 researchers in the Tropical Medicine sub-field under Clinical Medicine. He has an h-index of 11 and an hm-index of 4.67.

Professor Mukhtar Ahmed Gadanya, also of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, is ranked 4,866th among 360,081 researchers in the General and Internal Medicine sub-field. His inclusion follows previous appearances in the 2025, 2024, 2021 and 2020 editions.

Dr Sunusi Marwana Manladan, of the Faculty of Engineering, is ranked 6,002nd among 330,896 researchers in the Materials sub-field under Engineering. He has an h-index of 13 and an hm-index of 5.00. His latest recognition extends his record of inclusion in the 2024 and 2025 editions.

How the World's Top 2% Scientists Ranking Works

The World's Top 2% Scientists ranking is developed by researchers at Stanford University in collaboration with Elsevier, using bibliometric data from Scopus, a database of peer-reviewed scientific literature.

The ranking assesses researchers using citation-based indicators and classifies them across 20 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields under the Science-Metrix classification system.

Scientists qualify either by ranking among the top 100,000 researchers based on their composite citation score, with or without self-citations, or by reaching the 2% threshold within their respective sub-fields.

The 2026 database was published by Elsevier on October 7, 2026, using a Scopus data snapshot dated August 1, 2026.

Recognition for Nigerian Research

The inclusion of four BUK academics highlights the research contributions of Nigerian scholars across clinical medicine, tropical medicine, engineering and other scientific disciplines.

Their recognition also underscores the importance of sustained research, scientific collaboration and the publication of work that contributes to the global body of knowledge.

As Nigerian universities continue to strengthen their research capacity and international visibility, the achievements of scholars such as Abdullahi demonstrate the contribution of local academic institutions to global scientific research.