State of Neurosurgical Education in Africa: A Narrative Review

BACKGROUND: There is no comprehensive report of neurosurgery post-graduate education in Africa. This narrative review aimed to map out the landscape of neurosurgery training in Africa and highlight similarities and dif-ferences in training. METHODS: The keywords "neurosurgery," "education," and "Africa" were searched on PubMed and Google Scholar from inception to January 17, 2021. Next, a complementary hand search was conducted on Google using the key-words "neurosurgery," "residency," and the individual African countries in En-glish and official languages. The relevant data were extracted and compiled into a narrative review. RESULTS: A total of 76 African training programs that recruit more than 168 trainees each year were identified. Less than half (40.7%, n = 22) of African countries have at least 1 neurosurgery training program. Egypt (n = 15), Algeria (n = 14), and Nigeria (n = 10) have the highest number of training programs, whereas Algeria (0.33), Egypt (0.15), and Libya (0.15) have the highest number of training programs per 1 million inhabitants. The College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa has 16 programs in 8 countries, whereas the West African College of Surgeons has 17 accredited programs in 3 countries. The duration of training varies between 4 and 8 years. There is limited information available in the public domain and academic literature about subspecialty fel-lowships in Africa. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides prospective applicants and African and global neurosurgery stakeholders with information to advocate for increased investment in African neurosurgery training programs.