Year-End Memo to Readers, Authors, Reviewers, and Associate Editors

2025-12-28

Colleagues and friends,

Thank you. On behalf of the editorial team, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to every reader, author, reviewer and associate editor who contributed to the Babcock University Medical Journal during 2025. Your manuscripts, critical appraisals, timely reviews and steady editorial support are the foundation of the Journal’s quality and continuing development. Because of your work, we maintained timely peer review, published work of relevance to clinical practice and public health, and continued to expand our reach as an open-access venue for rigorous medical research.

 

Below are important updates for 2026 regarding article processing charges (APCs) and recognition for the unpaid labour that sustains peer review and editorial work. These changes are designed to keep the Journal financially sustainable while rewarding the people whose efforts make the Journal possible.

 

  1. APC adjustment (effective 1 January 2026)

New APCs

  • Local (Nigerian-based) authors: ₦200,000 (previously ₦125,000)
  • International authors: ₦450,000 (≈ US$300) (previously ₦300,000 ≈ US$200)

 

Why are we increasing APCs?

We do not take increases lightly. The decision follows careful review of our costs and required investments to maintain and improve the Journal’s standards and services. Key drivers:

  • Rising operational costs. Inflationary pressures affect production, typesetting, platform hosting, secure archiving and administrative operations.
  • Quality assurance and integrity. We are investing in mandatory plagiarism screening, enhanced editorial management tools, and professional copyediting/typesetting to reduce turnaround time and ensure published work meets international quality standards.
  • Indexing, DOI and archiving costs. Continued membership/fees for CrossRef, long-term archiving services and indexing applications require sustained funding.
  • Support for editorial operations. The modest increase helps cover growing administrative and platform costs while preserving open access to readers.
  • Sustainability and equitable access. The new APCs allow us to continue offering fee waivers and discounts in selected circumstances (see below), and to avoid compromising editorial independence.

 

Transitional notes: Manuscripts already submitted and under review before 1 January 2026 will not be charged the new APC; the APC at the time of submission will apply.

 

  1. Reviewer recognition: APC waiver for high-quality reviews

We value the time and expertise reviewers provide. To recognise exceptional peer-review contributions, we are introducing a reviewer waiver scheme, effective 1 January 2026:

 

What reviewers may receive

Reviewers who complete at least two (2) high-quality peer reviews for two different manuscripts within a calendar year will be eligible for a maximum of one 40% APC waiver per annum.

 

Definitions and eligibility

  • High-quality review is assessed by the Editor-in-Chief or handling editor and will typically meet these minimum standards:
    • Submitted within the agreed deadline
    • Provides clear, constructive, evidence-based, and actionable comments for authors
    • Uses the Journal’s review form/checklist where applicable
    • Demonstrates subject-matter expertise and balanced recommendations
  • Waivers are earned when the editorial office records both the completed review and the Editor’s assessment that it meets the high-quality threshold.
  • Waivers are non-transferable, may not be combined with other discounts for the same submission, and are redeemable for the reviewer’s own submitted manuscripts (as corresponding author or co-corresponding author) within 12 months of issuance. If not redeemed within 12 months, they expire.

 

How to claim

  • Reviews must be completed through the Journal’s editorial system, so they are logged and attributable.
  • Upon acceptance of the reviewer’s manuscript, the reviewer must write an email (to bumj@babcocky.edu.ng) requesting the waiver and stating the IDs of the reviewed manuscript. The author will wait for confirmation of the waiver before proceeding to make the APC payment.

 

  1. Associate editors: one full APC waiver per year

We recognise the sustained and higher-level contribution of associate editors. Effective 1 January 2026:

Allowance

  • Each appointed associate editor is eligible for one (1) full APC waiver per calendar year for a manuscript that is submitted by and accepted for publication by that associate editor (or where they are listed as corresponding author), subject to standard peer review and editorial processes.

Conditions

  • The waiver is non-transferable and cannot be combined with other discounts for the same manuscript.
  • To ensure transparency, associate editors should declare their status and intention to use the waiver in the manuscript cover letter at submission; a waiver will be applied only after formal acceptance and invoicing procedures.
  • Waiver use is subject to the Journal’s conflict-of-interest policies and standard peer-review practices (the associate editor may not handle their own paper; an alternate editor will manage peer review).

 

  1. Administrative and process points (quick FAQ)
  • Effective date: All policy changes above take effect 1 January 2026. Submissions already under review before that date will be charged the APC that was in force on their submission date.
  • Waiver issuance and tracking: The editorial management system will track reviewer activity and associate editor authorship. Please ensure your account information is accurate.
  • Multiple waivers: Reviewer 40% waivers may be used independently. Waivers cannot be stacked (e.g., two 40% waivers cannot be combined to give an 80% discount on a single submission).
  • Questions or special requests: For queries about APCs, waivers, or the waiver application process, please contact the editorial office at bumj@babcocky.edu.ng.

 

Closing remarks

Our commitment to rigorous, fair peer review and to publishing research that advances clinical care, education and public health remains unchanged. These policy updates are intended to preserve editorial quality, increase the Journal’s operational stability, and recognise the labour of reviewers and associate editors.

Once again, thank you for your partnership during 2025. We look forward to continuing to work with each of you in 2026, to publish important research, to support professional development through reviewing and editorial work, and to strengthen the Journal’s service to clinicians, researchers and policy makers.

 

With appreciation,

 

Prof. Olumide Abiodun

Editor-in-Chief
Babcock University Medical Journal