Best Universities for Chemistry 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 Chemistry. A graph of 13.7M citations received by 990K academic papers made by 342 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.

1. Cairo University

For Chemistry

#1 in Egypt

#405 in the World

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

2. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

For Chemistry

#1 in South Africa

#431 in the World

Founded: 1874

3. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Chemistry

#2 in South Africa

#497 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

4. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Chemistry

#3 in South Africa

#526 in the World

Founded: 1918

5. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Chemistry

#4 in South Africa

#551 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

6. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Chemistry

#5 in South Africa

#558 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

7. Ain Shams University

For Chemistry

#2 in Egypt

#584 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

8. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

For Chemistry

#3 in Egypt

#633 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

9. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

For Chemistry

#4 in Egypt

#635 in the World

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

10. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

For Chemistry

#5 in Egypt

#834 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

11. University of Sfax

For Chemistry

#848 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%

12. Assiut University

For Chemistry

#6 in Egypt

#849 in the World

Founded: 1957

13. Al-Azhar University

For Chemistry

#7 in Egypt

#917 in the World

Founded: 1961

14. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Chemistry

#6 in South Africa

#944 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

15. Tanta University

For Chemistry

#8 in Egypt

#962 in the World

Founded: 1972

16. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Chemistry

#1044 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

17. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

For Chemistry

#1045 in the World

18. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Chemistry

#7 in South Africa

#1110 in the World

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

19. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Chemistry

#8 in South Africa

#1115 in the World

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

20. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

For Chemistry

#1147 in the World

21. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

For Chemistry

#9 in Egypt

#1164 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

22. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

For Chemistry

#1201 in the World

23. Benha University

For Chemistry

#10 in Egypt

#1245 in the World

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

24. Minia University

For Chemistry

#11 in Egypt

#1251 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

25. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Chemistry

#9 in South Africa

#1275 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

26. Suez Canal University

Egypt | Ismailia

For Chemistry

#12 in Egypt

#1295 in the World

Enrollment: 40,317
Founded: 1976

27. University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene

Algeria | Algiers

For Chemistry

#1356 in the World

28. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

For Chemistry

#1358 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 67,415

29. Beni-Suef University

Egypt | Beni Suef

For Chemistry

#13 in Egypt

#1373 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Founded: 2005

30. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Chemistry

#1400 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

31. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

For Chemistry

#1435 in the World

Enrollment: 29,703

32. Obafemi Awolowo University

For Chemistry

#1446 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Founded: 1962

33. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Chemistry

#10 in South Africa

#1447 in the World

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

34. Helwan University

For Chemistry

#14 in Egypt

#1467 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1975

35. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Chemistry

#11 in South Africa

#1491 in the World

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

36. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Chemistry

#1511 in the World

Founded: 1950

37. Federal University of Technology, Akure

Nigeria | Akure

For Chemistry

#1558 in the World

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

38. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Chemistry

#12 in South Africa

#1575 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

39. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

For Chemistry

#1593 in the World

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

40. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Chemistry

#1 in Uganda

#1650 in the World

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

41. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Chemistry

#1 in Kenya

#1670 in the World

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

42. Kafrelsheikh University

Egypt | Kafr El Sheikh

For Chemistry

#15 in Egypt

#1702 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 2006

43. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Chemistry

#1707 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1962

44. University of Ghana

For Chemistry

#1 in Ghana

#1717 in the World

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

45. South Valley University - Qena

For Chemistry

#16 in Egypt

#1724 in the World

Founded: 1995

46. University of Carthage

Tunisia | Tunis

For Chemistry

#1741 in the World

Enrollment: 50,314

47. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University

For Chemistry

#1753 in the World

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

48. Sohag university

Egypt | Nasser City

For Chemistry

#17 in Egypt

#1789 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 2006

49. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

For Chemistry

#1805 in the World

Enrollment: 99,300

50. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Chemistry

#1871 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

51. University of Constantine 1

Algeria | Constantine

For Chemistry

#1874 in the World

52. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

For Chemistry

#2 in Ghana

#1884 in the World

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

53. University of Annaba

Algeria | Annaba

For Chemistry

#1895 in the World

Enrollment: 8,443

54. Ferhat Abbas Setif University 1

Algeria | Setif

For Chemistry

#1898 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%

55. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Chemistry

#13 in South Africa

#1906 in the World

Founded: 1916

56. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

Nigeria | Abeokuta

For Chemistry

#1922 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Founded: 1988

57. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

For Chemistry

#1 in Sudan

#1955 in the World

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

58. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

For Chemistry

#1958 in the World

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

59. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Chemistry

#1971 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

60. Fayoum University

For Chemistry

#18 in Egypt

#2026 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Founded: 2005

61. American University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

For Chemistry

#19 in Egypt

#2059 in the World

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

62. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Chemistry

#14 in South Africa

#2063 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

63. Damietta University

Egypt | Damietta

For Chemistry

#20 in Egypt

#2089 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 2012

64. Ibn Tofail University

Morocco | Kenitra

For Chemistry

#2093 in the World

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

65. University of Tlemcen

Algeria | Tlemcen

For Chemistry

#2095 in the World

66. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Chemistry

#15 in South Africa

#2104 in the World

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

67. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology

Nigeria | Ogbomoso

For Chemistry

#10 in Nigeria

#2105 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1990

68. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Chemistry

#11 in Nigeria

#2118 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

69. Covenant University

For Chemistry

#12 in Nigeria

#2141 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

70. Abdelmalek Essaadi University

Morocco | Tetouan

For Chemistry

#2174 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 36,000

71. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Chemistry

#16 in South Africa

#2189 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

72. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Chemistry

#13 in Nigeria

#2191 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1975

73. University of Bejaia

Algeria | Bejaia

For Chemistry

#2200 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%

74. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

For Chemistry

#14 in Nigeria

#2211 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1991

75. University of Dschang

Cameroon | Dschang

For Chemistry

#2262 in the World

Founded: 1993

76. Gabes University

Tunisia | Gabes

For Chemistry

#2288 in the World

77. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Chemistry

#2293 in the World

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

78. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Chemistry

#2296 in the World

Founded: 1964

79. National Polytechnic School, Algeria

Algeria | Algiers

For Chemistry

#2300 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%

80. Cheikh Anta Diop University

Senegal | Dakar

For Chemistry

#2315 in the World

Founded: 1918

81. Federal University of Technology, Owerri

Nigeria | Owerri

For Chemistry

#15 in Nigeria

#2355 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1980

82. University of Mauritius

Mauritius | Reduit

For Chemistry

#1 in Mauritius

#2359 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1965

83. University of Oran 1

For Chemistry

#2367 in the World

Enrollment: 60,000

84. Aswan University

For Chemistry

#21 in Egypt

#2382 in the World

Enrollment: 1,898
Founded: 2012

85. University of Science and Technology of Oran

For Chemistry

#2396 in the World

86. Port Said University

Egypt | Port Said

For Chemistry

#22 in Egypt

#2397 in the World

Founded: 2010

87. University of Sousse

Tunisia | Sousse

For Chemistry

#2410 in the World

88. Suez University

For Chemistry

#23 in Egypt

#2444 in the World

Founded: 2012

89. University of Uyo

For Chemistry

#16 in Nigeria

#2456 in the World

Founded: 1991

90. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Chemistry

#17 in South Africa

#2458 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

91. University of Gondar

Ethiopia | Gondar

For Chemistry

#2508 in the World

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

92. University of Blida 1

Algeria | Blida

For Chemistry

#10 in Algeria

#2523 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%

93. Federal University of Technology, Minna

Nigeria | Minna

For Chemistry

#17 in Nigeria

#2580 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1982

94. Damanhour University

Egypt | Damanhur

For Chemistry

#24 in Egypt

#2589 in the World

Founded: 2010

95. Bahir Dar University

Ethiopia | Bahir Dar

For Chemistry

#2617 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 57,852
Founded: 2001

96. Jimma University

Ethiopia | Jimma

For Chemistry

#2625 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1983

97. University of Batna 1

Algeria | Batna

For Chemistry

#11 in Algeria

#2629 in the World

98. Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology

Egypt | New Borg El Arab

For Chemistry

#25 in Egypt

#2643 in the World

Founded: 2010

99. University of Algiers 1

Algeria | Algiers

For Chemistry

#12 in Algeria

#2667 in the World

100. University of Boumerdes

Algeria | Boumerdes

For Chemistry

#13 in Algeria

#2683 in the World

Chemistry subfields in Africa

Biochemical Engineering26

Biochemistry316

Chemical Engineering228

Computational Chemistry95

Environmental Chemistry213

Inorganic Chemistry146

Materials Science302

Nanotechnology201

Nutrition and Food Science243

Organic Chemistry305

Petrology and Geochemistry159

Physical chemistry229

Polymer science and Plastics engineering19

Radiochemistry160