An Empirical Study of Professor Salaries in Selected African Countries
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17509/xse64h44Keywords:
Cost-of-living adjustment, GDP per capita, Non-parametric regression, Pay disparities, Professor salariesAbstract
This study compares professor salaries within Africa’s higher education system. A quantitative, cross-sectional design is adopted to analyse salaries in 2025 across 13 African countries. The report focuses on pay disparities, how these are correlated to GDP, and how cost-of-living differences affect real purchasing power. The small sample and non-linear analyses, using descriptive statistics, Spearman rank correlation and a nonparametric regression Galleys involving cost-of-living adjustment. The results show that nominal salaries exhibit considerable variation, with South Africa (USD 57,474), Uganda (USD 50,594) and Kenya (USD 48,000) ranking highest and Nigeria, Eswatini and Zimbabwe lowest. Salaries are not statistically related to GDP per capita (r = 0.11, p = 0.72). This implies that the institutional and policy determinants are generally more impactful. When adjusted for cost of living, the disparities are magnified, with Uganda having the highest real purchasing power at USD 194,592 while Nigeria remains critically low at USD 16,667. This points to the need to evaluate remuneration in real terms and raise issues around retention and brain drain.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Alfred Ayo Ayenigba, James Serumun Ivande, Olalekan Tosin Tiamiyu (Author)
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