Abstract:

This study presents an integrative review of immersive technologies in Sub-Saharan African higher education, with particular emphasis on Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications between 2020 and 2026. The review combines bibliometric and scoping review approaches to examine the evolving landscape of immersive learning research across the region. Specifically, the study addresses four objectives: analysing publication trends and intellectual structures, examining pedagogical applications of VR and AR, identifying implementation challenges, and highlighting emerging directions for immersive technology integration in higher education.

The review was conducted using an integrative review design that combined bibliometric analysis and scoping review procedures. Bibliometric data were retrieved from the Scopus database and analysed using performance indicators and science mapping techniques, while the scoping review followed PRISMA 2020 procedures to synthesise empirical evidence from eligible peer-reviewed studies. The analysis incorporated publication trends, geographic distribution, source productivity, and keyword co-occurrence patterns alongside qualitative synthesis of educational applications and implementation outcomes.

The findings reveal a gradually expanding but uneven body of research on immersive technologies in Sub-Saharan African higher education, with South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya contributing the largest share of publications. The literature indicates that VR and AR applications are associated with enhanced student engagement, experiential learning, practical skill acquisition, collaborative interaction, and improved conceptual understanding, particularly within science, health, engineering, and technical education disciplines. Bibliometric mapping further demonstrates an emerging shift from technology adoption studies toward pedagogically oriented and learner-centred immersive learning research.

Despite these positive developments, persistent barriers continue to constrain implementation across the region. These include inadequate digital infrastructure, unstable electricity supply, limited institutional readiness, high technology costs, insufficient technical expertise, and unequal access associated with the digital divide. The review also identifies important research gaps, including limited longitudinal and experimental studies, weak cross-country collaboration networks, and the absence of contextually grounded frameworks for sustainable immersive learning integration in African higher education. The study concludes by emphasising the need for coordinated policy support, institutional investment, and pedagogically informed implementation strategies to strengthen the transformative potential of immersive technologies in Sub-Saharan African higher education.

Keywords:

Immersive technologies, virtual reality, augmented reality, higher education, bibliometric review, scoping review, Sub-Saharan Africa.