Prof. Kingsley Ukwuaja
Provost, College of Medicine
Professor Kingsley Nnanna Ukwaja possesses a distinguished academic and professional portfolio. He earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, in 2007. Subsequently, he completed residency training in internal medicine and pulmonology at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, between 2010 and 2019. In 2017, he obtained an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, United Kingdom, supported by an International Scholarship. He also holds certificates in Advanced TB Research, Economic Evaluations, and Leadership and Management in Health from the University of Washington, Seattle, USA, as well as certifications in Epidemiological, Clinical, and Operations Research, Basic and Advanced Health Research Ethics, and Good Clinical Practice.
Prof. Ukwaja is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP). He currently serves as a Professor of Medicine in the College of Medical Sciences at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, and as an Honorary Consultant Physician and Pulmonologist in the Department of Internal Medicine at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. He has provided consultancy services to numerous local and international non-governmental organizations, including the German Leprosy and TB Relief Association (GLRA/DAHW), PLAN International, and RedAID Nigeria. Additionally, he is a Consultant to the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria, and serves as a Consultant and External Reviewer for the World Health Organization on TB Epi Reviews, where he is also included on their roster of Scientific Writers.
Prof. Ukwaja’s primary research interests encompass implementation science, mixed-methods research, and clinical trials that address the social determinants and consequences of tuberculosis (TB) and poverty-related diseases. Much of his work has focused on TB, leprosy, Buruli ulcer, and other infectious tropical diseases. He is also actively engaged in research on emerging infections such as Lassa fever and Mpox, evidence synthesis including scoping and systematic reviews, integrated health service delivery, and the application of artificial intelligence in medicine, particularly as a treatment decision support tool. His research has received financial support from KNCV, the Pan-African Thoracic Society (South Africa), the American Thoracic Society (USA), and the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (United Kingdom).
Prof. Ukwaja has an outstanding record of research excellence and impact. He has authored over 175 publications in reputable international journals, including The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine, and has contributed a book chapter to Reviews in Molecular Biology and Molecular Medicine. He has delivered over 30 presentations at national and international conferences. His current Scopus h-index is 75, with more than 143,000 lifetime citations. He serves as a peer reviewer for over 100 international journals, including the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, and has been a member of the editorial teams of five journals. He is presently a Research Editorial Adviser for The BMJ. He was co-winner of the 2007 Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) UK project prize for the best medical undergraduate research report from Africa and received the prestigious Professor Friday E. Okonofua National Young Scientist Prize in Health Sciences from the Nigerian Young Academy (affiliated with the Nigeria Academy of Sciences) in 2018. He has consistently been ranked in the Stanford/Elsevier list of the Top 2% Scientists in the World for the 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 editions.
Prof. Ukwaja is a respected and influential figure in medicine, public health, and medical education. He is a member of the Global Burden of Disease Expert and Collaborator Network and holds memberships in several professional associations, including the Nigerian Medical Association, the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Thoracic Society, the Pan-African Thoracic Society, the American Thoracic Society, the European Respiratory Society, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, and the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. He also serves as an examiner for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at several Nigerian universities and has acted as an external assessor for the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Prof. Ukwaja is an accomplished academic administrator with senior leadership experience. He has served as the pioneer Director of Academic Planning (2022-2023), Director of Research and Innovations (2023), Head of Department of Medicine (2023-2024) and Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences (2024-2026) David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences - Uburu). He is the 3rd Provost of the College of Medical Sciences, AEFUNAI.
Prof. Ukwaja is a visionary and dynamic leader, who is committed to advancing the quality and standards of health care, research, and education in Nigeria and beyond. He is married and blessed with children.
Research profile of Prof Ukwaja
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57202824584
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1uCYJ7sAAAAJ&hl=en
Web of Science: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/A-7794-2013
