Kenya's Top 2% Scientists 2026

Kenya has 82 scientists on the 2026 single-year Top 2% list, up 18.8% from 69 in 2025. That places Kenya 73rd in the world by number of listed scientists. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi has the most listed scientists (15), followed by International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi (8).

Single Year

+13 (+18.8%) vs 2025

Career Data

+4 (+7.8%) vs 2025

World rank by count

#73

No change vs 2025

Institutes

+5 (+16.1%) vs 2025

Scientists in Kenya on the list, by year

The single-year count has more than doubled since 2020.

Single-year list, change on the previous year

2021+14.7%

2022+2.6%

2023+30.0%

2024+9.6%

2025+21.1%

2026+18.8%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	34		34
2021	39	+14.7%	35	+2.9%
2022	40	+2.6%	35	+0.0%
2023	52	+30.0%	38	+8.6%
2024	57	+9.6%	38	+0.0%
2025	69	+21.1%	51	+34.2%
2026	82	+18.8%	55	+7.8%

Top 10 institutes in Kenya

By number of listed scientists

Single-year list2026

Show the list

All 82 scientists

Single-year list2026

Showing the 2026 single-year list. Looking for career rankings? See the career-long list

Everyone on the list, free to browse.

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Rank in Kenya	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	2,424	TP Thornton, Philip K.	International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 18
2	16,674	OD Obura, David Obare	Coral Reef Degradation in the Indian Ocean East Africa	Marine Biology & Hydrobiology	Rank 79
3	18,547	KS Kariuki, Samuel M.	Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative	Microbiology	Rank 339
4	24,522	TM Temmerman, Marleen I.L.	The Aga Khan University Kenya	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 110
5	29,391	IA Ismail, Abdelbagi M.	IRRI-ESA	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 413
6	29,450	ES Ekesi, Sunday	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Entomology	Rank 45
7	34,846	KM Kassie, Menale B.	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Agricultural Economics & Policy	Rank 45
8	37,378	SR Snow, Robert William	Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories Nairobi	Tropical Medicine	Rank 30
9	39,014	QJ Qiu, Jane	Samburu National Park	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 1,733
10	46,643	YT Young, Truman P.	Mpala Research Centre	Ecology	Rank 942
11	50,370	EP Ericksen, Polly J.	International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 361
12	52,037	VB Vanlauwe, Bernard	International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 374
13	57,373	TC Tanga, Chrysantus M.	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Food Science	Rank 718
14	63,446	AA Abajobir, Amanuel Alemu	African Population and Health Research Center	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 916
15	68,588	WD Ward, David	Mpala Research Centre	Ecology	Rank 1,333
16	75,083	KR Kindt, Roeland	Nairobi	Ecology	Rank 1,446
17	78,292	KP Kumar, Pushpam	United Nations Environment Programme	Toxicology	Rank 269
18	80,178	GR Gyasi, Razak M.	African Population and Health Research Center	Geriatrics	Rank 139
19	81,204	BM Bodunrin, Michael Oluwatosin	African Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 1,829
20	88,162	VW Van Wijk, M. T.	International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 659
21	95,402	IS Imathiu, Samuel	Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology	Food Science	Rank 1,275
22	95,980	WY Wado, Yohannes Dibaba	African Population and Health Research Center	Public Health	Rank 969
23	99,879	BE Barasa, Edwine W.	Kenya Medical Research Institute	Health Policy & Services	Rank 199
24	102,569	MA Mukherji, Aditi	CGIAR	Environmental Engineering	Rank 577
25	103,074	AA Ajayi, Anthony Idowu	African Population and Health Research Center	Public Health	Rank 1,040
26	104,538	SK Sibhatu, Kibrom Tadesse	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Agricultural Economics & Policy	Rank 121
27	106,117	EM English, Michael C.	Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories Nairobi	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 1,427
28	113,920	KC Kyobutungi, Catherine K.	African Population and Health Research Center	Public Health	Rank 1,151
29	114,505	AD Amugsi, Dickson Abanimi	African Population and Health Research Center	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 1,546
30	114,900	KJ Kinyuru, John N.	Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology	Food Science	Rank 1,615
31	117,283	TL Tripathi, Leena	Nairobi	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 2,007
32	118,463	AR Adam, Rodney D.	The Aga Khan University Kenya	Microbiology	Rank 2,233
33	120,950	BJ Berkley, James A.	Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories Nairobi	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 1,640
34	121,059	NN Noah, Naumih M.	United States International University, Africa	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 804
35	131,958	KZ Khan, Zeyaur Rahman	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Entomology	Rank 261
36	132,978	FD Fawcett, Donald Wayne	International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases, Kenya	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 5,315
37	148,598	AA Abubakar, Amina A.	The Aga Khan University Kenya	Public Health	Rank 1,515
38	162,656	KS Kuyah, Shem	Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 1,247
39	174,745	AT Amede, Tilahun	Á propos de lAlliance pour une révolution verte en Afrique	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 1,363
40	187,741	CT Crane, Todd Andrew	International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 1,471
41	200,340	MS Maingi, Shem Wambugu	Kenya Medical Research Institute	Microbiology	Rank 3,801
42	207,818	KM Kansiime, Monica Kagorora	CABI, Kenya	Entomology	Rank 471
43	208,099	BP Bejon, Philip A.	Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories Nairobi	Microbiology	Rank 3,969
44	209,275	SJ Scott, John Anthony Gerard	Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories Nairobi	Microbiology	Rank 3,999
45	212,945	TE Tonnang, Edouard Henri Zefack	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Entomology	Rank 487
46	213,201	MN Mango, Nelson	Kenyatta University	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 1,681
47	213,278	SS Subramanian, Sevgan	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Entomology	Rank 488
48	217,855	TB Torto, Baldwyn	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Entomology	Rank 498
49	220,144	GA Galiè, Alessandra	International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 1,737
50	226,626	CL Cicero, Lizette Senyo	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Entomology	Rank 522
51	227,055	GH Gitari, Harun I.	Kenyatta University	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 1,803
52	236,691	GA Githeko, Andrew Karanja	Kenya Medical Research Institute	Tropical Medicine	Rank 320
53	239,889	DT Dubois, Thomas	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Entomology	Rank 557
54	241,840	BD Beesigamukama, Dennis	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 4,339
55	243,484	ME Madivoli, E. S.	Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology	Polymers	Rank 2,667
56	254,472	CE Chitando, Ezra	Faith to Action Network	Religions & Theology	Rank 62
57	261,544	WL Winowiecki, Leigh Ann	World Agroforestry Centre	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 2,132
58	269,436	MC Midega, Charles Aura Odhiambo	Poverty and Health Integrated Solutions (PHIS)	Entomology	Rank 635
59	271,038	MM Muluneh, Muluken Dessalegn	Amref Health Africa	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 3,301
60	277,394	BB Bett, Bernard K.	International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi	Tropical Medicine	Rank 393
61	296,568	KF Khamis, Fathiya Mbarak	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Entomology	Rank 700
62	302,685	FK Fiaboe, Komi Kouma Mokpokpo	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Entomology	Rank 726
63	303,704	AC Arndt, Claudia	International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi	Dairy & Animal Science	Rank 997
64	318,008	CD Coyne, Danny L.	International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)	Zoology	Rank 128
65	321,038	OE Okiro, Emelda Aluoch	Kenya Medical Research Institute	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 3,843
66	321,803	HT Hagmann, Tobias	Rift Valley Institute and Somali Public Agenda	Cultural Studies	Rank 159
67	327,980	GJ Goopy, John Patrick	International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi	Dairy & Animal Science	Rank 1,098
68	332,934	DF Davies, F. Glyn	British Overseas Development Administration	Veterinary Sciences	Rank 646
69	368,415	NK Ngure, Kenneth K.	Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology	Virology	Rank 1,531
70	371,055	KJ Kiarie, James Njogu	Ministry of Health Nairobi	Virology	Rank 1,544
71	371,948	MC Muthuri, Catherine	World Agroforestry Centre	Forestry	Rank 619
72	385,870	SR Sang, Rosemary C.	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Tropical Medicine	Rank 557
73	448,336	BJ Berkley, James Alexander	Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories Nairobi	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 5,148
74	477,315	KF Kivaria, Fredrick Mathias	Food and Agriculture Organization, Kenya	Veterinary Sciences	Rank 1,066
75	508,833	FU Fillinger, Ulrike	International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi	Tropical Medicine	Rank 761
76	509,831	AB A Bukachi, Salome Atieno	Institute of Anthropology, Gender and African Studies	Tropical Medicine	Rank 765
77	533,748	AT Achoki, Tom N.	Africa Institute for Health Policy	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 6,050
78	555,888	AI Adeoye, Ikeola Adejoke	Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA)	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 3,233
79	634,535	LL Leakey, L. S.B.	National Museums of Kenya	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 7,054
80	652,152	AP Ayeka, Peter Amwoga	Egerton University	Complementary & Alternative Medicine	Rank 250
81	698,614	US Uyoga, Sophie M.	Kenya Medical Research Institute	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 7,683
82	715,749	AS Akech, Samuel O.	University of Nairobi	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 7,877
No scientists match this filter on the single-year list. Try the career-long list

Showing 1 to 82 of 82 Show

Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2026

Ghana90 scientists

Kuwait88 scientists

Lithuania84 scientists

Bulgaria80 scientists

Philippines74 scientists

Kazakhstan73 scientists

Explore other countries

Single-year list2026

Ethiopia236 scientists

Tanzania34 scientists

Uganda27 scientists

Egypt1,307 scientists

South Africa1,033 scientists

Nigeria305 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Kenya are in the 2026 Stanford Top 2% list?

82 scientists affiliated with Kenya are on the 2026 single-year list, and 55 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in Kenya has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2026 single-year list, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi has the most listed scientists from Kenya, with 15. It is followed by International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi with 8.

How has the number of Top 2% scientists in Kenya changed since 2020?

On the single-year list, Kenya went from 34 scientists in 2020 to 82 in 2026, a change of +141.2%.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.