We found that inhibiting the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and Ras homolog enriched in brain (RHEB) was significantly linked to T2D risk in Africans (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.34–3.78, p = 0.0017 and OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.34–3.28, p = 0.0010, respectively). Here, RHEB is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.