Best Universities for Literature in Africa

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Africa ranked based on their research performance in Literature. A graph of 297K citations received by 53.3K academic papers made by 172 universities in Africa was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Literature

#1 in South Africa

#202 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

2. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

For Literature

#2 in South Africa

#220 in the World

Founded: 1874

3. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Literature

#3 in South Africa

#229 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

4. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Literature

#4 in South Africa

#261 in the World

Founded: 1918

5. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Literature

#5 in South Africa

#305 in the World

Enrollment: 420,000
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1873

6. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Literature

#6 in South Africa

#338 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

7. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Literature

#7 in South Africa

#439 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Enrollment: 26,439
Male:Female: 42:58
Founded: 2004

8. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Literature

#8 in South Africa

#553 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

9. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Literature

#9 in South Africa

#573 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1904

10. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Literature

#10 in South Africa

#679 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 24,754
Founded: 1959

11. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Literature

#11 in South Africa

#715 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

12. Cairo University

For Literature

#1 in Egypt

#762 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Enrollment: 257,200
Founded: 1908

13. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Literature

#833 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

14. Obafemi Awolowo University

For Literature

#1057 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Founded: 1962

15. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Literature

#1064 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

16. Ain Shams University

For Literature

#2 in Egypt

#1096 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

17. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

For Literature

#3 in Egypt

#1097 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 197,278
Founded: 1942

18. University of Ghana

For Literature

#1 in Ghana

#1101 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 67,914
Male:Female: 51:49
Founded: 1948

19. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

For Literature

#4 in Egypt

#1107 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

20. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Literature

#1 in Botswana

#1114 in the World

Founded: 1964

21. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

For Literature

#5 in Egypt

#1121 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

22. University of Sfax

For Literature

#1191 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%

23. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

For Literature

#1242 in the World

24. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Literature

#12 in South Africa

#1270 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

25. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Literature

#1 in Uganda

#1286 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1922

26. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

For Literature

#1360 in the World

27. American University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

For Literature

#6 in Egypt

#1373 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Enrollment: 6,857
Founded: 1919

28. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Literature

#1430 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1962

29. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

For Literature

#1455 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 18,040
Founded: 1955

30. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Literature

#1471 in the World

Founded: 1950

31. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Literature

#1483 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

32. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Literature

#1489 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

33. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Literature

#1 in Kenya

#1503 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1970

34. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Literature

#13 in South Africa

#1511 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

35. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Literature

#1527 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

36. University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene

Algeria | Algiers

For Literature

#1533 in the World

37. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Literature

#14 in South Africa

#1543 in the World

Founded: 1916

38. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

For Literature

#2 in Ghana

#1579 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Enrollment: 85,000
Founded: 1951

39. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Literature

#1583 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1975

40. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

For Literature

#7 in Egypt

#1618 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

41. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

For Literature

#1657 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 67,415

42. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti

Nigeria | Ado Ekiti

For Literature

#1696 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1982

43. University of Sousse

Tunisia | Sousse

For Literature

#1699 in the World

44. Federal University of Technology, Akure

Nigeria | Akure

For Literature

#10 in Nigeria

#1701 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Enrollment: 17,672
Founded: 1981

45. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

For Literature

#1 in Sudan

#1779 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 41,030
Founded: 1956

46. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Literature

#15 in South Africa

#1791 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

47. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Literature

#1799 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 24,000
Founded: 1970

48. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

For Literature

#1821 in the World

49. Assiut University

For Literature

#8 in Egypt

#1840 in the World

Founded: 1957

50. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

For Literature

#1875 in the World

Enrollment: 29,703

51. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

For Literature

#11 in Nigeria

#1876 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 49,436
Founded: 1962

52. Covenant University

For Literature

#12 in Nigeria

#1920 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

53. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Literature

#16 in South Africa

#1926 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

54. Benha University

For Literature

#9 in Egypt

#1946 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Enrollment: 88,016
Founded: 1976

55. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

For Literature

#13 in Nigeria

#1953 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1991

56. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Literature

#17 in South Africa

#2019 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

57. Minia University

For Literature

#10 in Egypt

#2028 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

58. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

For Literature

#3 in Ghana

#2045 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

59. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University

For Literature

#2048 in the World

Enrollment: 98,720
Male:Female: 54:46

60. Moi University

Kenya | Eldoret

For Literature

#2 in Kenya

#2076 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Founded: 1984

61. Tanta University

For Literature

#11 in Egypt

#2082 in the World

Founded: 1972

62. University of Annaba

Algeria | Annaba

For Literature

#2118 in the World

Enrollment: 8,443

63. University of Constantine 1

Algeria | Constantine

For Literature

#2120 in the World

64. Al-Azhar University

For Literature

#12 in Egypt

#2134 in the World

Founded: 1961

65. Suez Canal University

Egypt | Ismailia

For Literature

#13 in Egypt

#2160 in the World

Enrollment: 40,317
Founded: 1976

66. University of Malawi

For Literature

#1 in Malawi

#2175 in the World

Founded: 1964

67. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

Nigeria | Abeokuta

For Literature

#14 in Nigeria

#2188 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Founded: 1988

68. Pedagogical University

Mozambique | Maputo

For Literature

#1 in Mozambique

#2207 in the World

Founded: 1985

69. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Literature

#18 in South Africa

#2212 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 10,213
Founded: 2002

70. University of Uyo

For Literature

#15 in Nigeria

#2214 in the World

Founded: 1991

71. University of Carthage

Tunisia | Tunis

For Literature

#2238 in the World

Enrollment: 50,314

72. Helwan University

For Literature

#14 in Egypt

#2261 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1975

73. University of Gondar

Ethiopia | Gondar

For Literature

#2272 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 49,103
Male:Female: 58:42
Founded: 1954

74. University of Venda

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Literature

#19 in South Africa

#2312 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

75. University of Education, Winneba

Ghana | Winneba

For Literature

#4 in Ghana

#2339 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Founded: 1992

76. Olabisi Onabanjo University

Nigeria | Ago Iwoye

For Literature

#16 in Nigeria

#2371 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Founded: 1982

77. University of Algiers 1

Algeria | Algiers

For Literature

#2383 in the World

78. Lagos State University

For Literature

#17 in Nigeria

#2398 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1983

79. Kenyatta University

Kenya | Nairobi

For Literature

#3 in Kenya

#2409 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1985

80. Rivers State University

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Literature

#18 in Nigeria

#2448 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1980

81. University of Tlemcen

Algeria | Tlemcen

For Literature

#2466 in the World

82. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

For Literature

#2484 in the World

Enrollment: 99,300

83. University of Bejaia

Algeria | Bejaia

For Literature

#2518 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%

84. Midlands State University

Zimbabwe | Gweru

For Literature

#2522 in the World

Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 2000

85. University of Oran 1

For Literature

#2536 in the World

Enrollment: 60,000

86. Delta State University, Abraka

Nigeria | Abraka

For Literature

#19 in Nigeria

#2598 in the World

Founded: 1992

87. Cheikh Anta Diop University

Senegal | Dakar

For Literature

#1 in Senegal

#2634 in the World

Founded: 1918

88. University of Mauritius

Mauritius | Reduit

For Literature

#1 in Mauritius

#2638 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1965

89. Manouba University

Tunisia | Manouba

For Literature

#2644 in the World

Enrollment: 16,315

90. Ibn Tofail University

Morocco | Kenitra

For Literature

#2645 in the World

Enrollment: 22,270
Male:Female: 52:48

91. Beni-Suef University

Egypt | Beni Suef

For Literature

#15 in Egypt

#2695 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Founded: 2005

92. University of Jos

For Literature

#20 in Nigeria

#2761 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 24,169
Male:Female: 54:46
Founded: 1975

93. University of Ngaoundere

Cameroon | Ngaoundere

For Literature

#2842 in the World

Enrollment: 17,000
Founded: 1982

94. University of Zambia

Zambia | Lusaka

For Literature

#1 in Zambia

#2844 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1965

95. University of Namibia

Namibia | Windhoek

For Literature

#2905 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

96. University of Buea

Cameroon | Buea

For Literature

#2913 in the World

Founded: 1992

97. Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Literature

#2920 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 2007

98. Michael Okpara University of Agriculture

Nigeria | Umuahia

For Literature

#21 in Nigeria

#2967 in the World

Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 1992

99. University of Dschang

Cameroon | Dschang

For Literature

#2969 in the World

Founded: 1993

100. University of Swaziland

Eswatini | Kwaluseni

For Literature

#1 in Eswatini

#2970 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1976