About Journal

The Journal of African Development Horizons (JAFDH) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal. It provides a scholarly platform for researchers, educators, practitioners, and policymakers working on African development across the social sciences, humanities, environment, enterprise, and culture.

JAFDH was established to strengthen the visibility of high-quality African and international research on the economic, social, cultural, and environmental horizons of development. The journal welcomes work from universities, polytechnics, research institutes, communities, and practice settings, including studies grounded in particular African places that speak to wider continental questions.

The journal publishes original empirical and theoretical research, critical reviews, and methodologically clear essays. Preference is given to manuscripts that are rigorous, ethically sound, and clearly written. Studies that address enterprise and livelihoods, education and literacy, culture and literature, indigenous knowledge, environmental change, and development practice are especially welcome.

JAFDH operates a double-anonymous peer-review process and follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All articles are published under an open-access licence so that they can be read, shared, and cited without subscription barriers.

Publisher: EmpiricalOpen Publishers Ltd

Frequency: Quarterly, with continuous online first publication

Language: English

Aims and Objectives

Aim

To publish rigorous, original, and accessible research that advances knowledge of African development and supports scholarship, policy, and practice in Africa and beyond.

Objectives

1. Provide a credible outlet for research on African development, culture, environment, enterprise, education, and the humanities.
2. Encourage interdisciplinary work that links evidence, local knowledge, and development practice.
3. Promote studies grounded in African contexts, including Enugu and south-eastern Nigeria, that address continental and global questions.
4. Increase the international visibility of African scholarship while remaining open to global submissions.
5. Uphold transparent peer review, research integrity, and open access.
6. Support early-career researchers through constructive review and clear author guidance.

Focus and Scope

JAFDH considers manuscripts in, but not limited to:

Enterprise and livelihoods: small and medium enterprises, digital transformation, tourism, green products, markets, and local economic change.

Culture and the humanities: literature, film, language, indigenous art, cultural preservation, and critical studies of gender and representation.

Environment and knowledge: environmental change, post-extractive communities, indigenous knowledge, ecological wisdom, and sustainable development.

Education and inclusion: adult literacy, women’s empowerment, curriculum, digital skills, and community learning.

Manuscripts outside this development horizon (for example, purely laboratory science or clinical medicine without a development core) should be directed to other journals in the publisher’s portfolio.

Peer Review Process

JAFDH uses double-anonymous peer review.

1. Editorial screening for scope, originality, ethics, and basic quality (about 1–2 weeks).
2. Manuscripts that pass screening are sent to at least two independent reviewers.
3. Reviewers assess originality, methods, evidence, interpretation, ethics, and clarity.
4. Possible decisions: accept; minor revision; major revision; reject.
5. Revised papers may be returned to the original reviewers.
6. The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision.

Target time to first decision: 6–8 weeks. The journal follows COPE guidance. Appeals may be sent in writing to the Editor-in-Chief.

Author Guidelines

Submit original work not under review elsewhere. File: Microsoft Word; Times New Roman 12 pt; double-spaced; line numbers. Structured abstract: 250–300 words. Keywords: 4–6. References: APA 7th edition. Separate title page (authors, affiliations, ORCID, corresponding email, funding, conflicts). Anonymised main file for review. Ethics approval and consent statements where required. Cover letter stating contribution and fit with JAFDH.

Article types: Original research (5,000–8,000 words); reviews (up to 10,000); short communications (2,000–3,500).

Charges: No article processing charge for eligible African authors at launch. Any future fees will be stated clearly on the website. There is no submission fee.

Licence: Authors retain copyright. Articles are published under CC BY 4.0.

Open Access and Ethics

Open access: All articles are freely available online upon publication.

Ethics: Research involving human participants must have institutional approval and informed consent where required. The journal screens submissions for plagiarism. Fabrication, duplicate publication, and undisclosed conflicts of interest will lead to rejection or retraction in line with COPE.

Contact: support@jafdh.org