Professor Ebenezer Esenogho is a Distinguished Professor in the 4IR and Digitalisation Catalytic Niche within the College of Accounting Sciences at the University of South Africa (UNISA). An NRF C2-rated researcher and internationally recognised scholar in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning application, he joined the College on 1 June 2025 and has since taken a leading role in shaping UNISA’s strategic research direction. He is responsible for establishing the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Multidisciplinary Innovation Studies (CAIMIS), a visionary initiative that will drive cutting-edge research, develop transformative AI-driven solutions and support the emergence of a new generation of digital innovators. CAIMIS is poised to become a continental hub for applying AI and Machine Learning to diverse fields including banking, finance, health, agriculture, energy and manufacturing, while simultaneously addressing crucial dimensions such as business, ICT, ethics and environmental sustainability.

With nearly two decades of experience in academia and research, Professor Esenogho has built a reputation for developing practical and impactful AI and machine learning solutions grounded in real-world problems. His research focuses on three major domains. In finance and business, he develops intelligent models for fraud detection and prediction, including work on volatile stock market forecasting using approaches such as ARIMA and LSTM, as well as a neural network ensemble enhanced with feature engineering for improved credit card fraud detection during his tenure at the Institute for Intelligent Systems at the University of Johannesburg. In the energy sector, his work centres on electricity and energy demand forecasting using model such as SARIMA and Prophet Boost, and on advancing AI-driven models that contribute to building resilient smart grids capable of supporting South Africa’s evolving energy landscape. In the health domain, he has developed a COVID-19 classification and prediction model using CNN.

His contributions extend to other advanced research initiatives across institutions. At the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he developed a channel aggregation model for 5G networks using AI-driven radio systems, while at the French/South African Institute of Technology he designed a futuristic model that integrates AI, IoT and 5G technologies for next-generation smart grids. His academic journey is underpinned by a PhD in Electronic Engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, supported by master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Computer and Telecommunications Engineering. His previous appointments include roles at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Johannesburg, University of Botswana, Kampala International University, University of Benin, and Monash University.

Professor Esenogho is a highly published scholar with close to 100 peer-reviewed outputs including journal articles, conference papers and book chapters. His work has attracted nearly 1,500 citations and earned him an H-index of 15, demonstrating his scholarly influence. He has received numerous awards and fellowships, among them the CEPS/Eskom HVDC award, the J.W. Nelson Award, the Global Excellence and Stature Postdoctoral Fellowship, the F'SAIT SARChI Chair Fellowship and an NRF research grant. His leadership record includes serving as a representative on the University of Johannesburg Senate and being selected as a UJ/DST/NRF delegate to the H2020-ESASTAP EU–South Africa Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Forum in Vienna. He has also contributed to international development via the diplomatic foreign mission to Uganda with the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the Technical Aid Corps program.Professor Esenogho has supervised close to fifteen Master’s, MPhil and PhD students combined and currently mentoring close to thirty PDFs. He has chaired sessions at international conferences and contributes to academic publishing through his roles on the editorial board of the KIU Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology and as a guest editor for the MDPI Mathematics journal. His expertise is sought internationally, reflected in appointments as an external grant assessor for institutions including Australian University Kuwait and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science.

At UNISA, he is currently leading several CNAs projects, including the prototyping of the COVID-19 classification and prediction model into a portable, low-cost diagnostic device in collaboration with UNISA’s DITTC. The development of AI and machine learning models for resilient smart grids and energy load forecasting. He is pioneering an AI-based disaster prediction tools in partnership with the Marine Institute, and the development of the M.Phil. and PhD qualifications within the CNA’s niche areas.

So far, his research output since joining UNISA stands at Ten journal articles published, two journal articles accepted for publication, ten journal articles submitted, twenty-four journal articles ongoing, four conference papers presented, four edited books and two book proposals.

Professor Esenogho maintains strong international research partnerships across Europe, the United State of America, United Kingdom, Canada, and remains deeply committed to community development across African countries. His ongoing mission is to advance the frontiers of AI research, promote global collaboration and mentor the next generation of scholars, with the aim of expanding the impact of science, technology and innovation throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.