- UGBS Scholar Leads Ghana in Global Research Ranking
Professor Joshua Yindenaba Abor of the University of Ghana Business School has been ranked the number one scientist in Economics and Finance in Ghana in the 2026 edition of the global Best Scientist Ranking by Research.com.
Prof Abor, a Professor at the Department of Finance and former Dean of UGBS, was ranked first in Ghana and 1,627th globally out of more than 3,800 scientist profiles reviewed in the field of Economics and Finance.
According to the rankings, published on April 15, 2026, Prof Abor recorded 13,272 citations and 212 publications, underscoring his academic influence and contribution to research in economics and finance.
In addition to topping the national ranking, he was also recognised with the 2026 Research.com Economics and Finance Leader Award in Ghana, a distinction linked to his contribution to research and scholarship in the discipline.
The ranking is based on the D-index, also known as the Discipline H-index, which assesses a researcher’s academic output and citation impact strictly within a specific field of specialisation. Scholars must have a minimum D-index of 30 to qualify for consideration.
Research.com’s Best Scientists Ranking identifies leading researchers using bibliometric data and academic impact assessments. The 2026 edition, the fourth in the series, relied on data from major academic databases, including OpenAlex and CrossRef, with researcher profiles manually verified and publication and citation records cross-checked.
UGBS said the recognition reflects the growing global visibility of research produced by the school and its commitment to advancing knowledge that shapes policy, business and economic development.
For Ghana’s higher education sector, Prof Abor’s ranking is significant beyond individual recognition. It points to the growing importance of research visibility, citation impact and global academic competitiveness at a time when universities are increasingly judged not only by enrolment and teaching, but by their contribution to knowledge, policy and institutional development.
The recognition also strengthens UGBS’s positioning in economics and finance scholarship, particularly as Ghana’s economy continues to confront complex questions around financial sector stability, debt management, enterprise financing, capital markets development and inclusive growth.
Prof Abor’s ranking therefore places Ghanaian finance scholarship in a wider global conversation. It shows that locally grounded research can gain international relevance when it engages questions that matter across markets: firm financing, banking, financial development, entrepreneurship, governance and economic transformation.
While global rankings do not capture every dimension of academic quality, they increasingly influence institutional reputation, research collaboration and international visibility. For Ghanaian universities, that makes sustained investment in research output, publication quality, doctoral training and policy-linked scholarship essential.
Prof Abor’s recognition is therefore both a personal milestone and an institutional signal: Ghana’s business and finance research community can compete globally when scholarship is rigorous, visible and connected to real economic questions.
