The African Union's Agenda 2063 envisions a transformed, prosperous Africa driven by knowledge, innovation, and capable institutions, yet African higher education institutions face persistent challenges in research capacity, productivity, and alignment with continental development priorities, producing less than 1% of global research output despite comprising 17% of world population. Effective research leadership has emerged as a critical yet under-studied factor that could catalyze the research transformation necessary to achieve Agenda 2063's aspirations, particularly given the complex challenges of resource constraints, infrastructure deficits, and the need to balance international research standards with locally relevant agendas.