Science output up, but data-driven investment needed African scientists’ share of the world’s publications has been increasing and more of the research published by scientists from the continent is being cited, but more regular, reliable and comprehensive data on research universities in Africa is needed to ensure that imminent decisions related to investing in the continent’s universities are well-directed. Knowledge collaboration between high-income countries and countries in Africa has been dominated traditionally by primary education. Collaboration in the areas of higher education and research was seen as a ‘luxury activity’ and has, in essence, been limited to educational and administrative capacity-building and short-term applied research and consultancy projects, as well as scholarships for African students to study at universities in the North.