Best Universities for Data Science 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 Data Science. A graph of 198K citations received by 15.7K academic papers made by 68 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. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

For Data Science

#1 in South Africa

#393 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Data Science

#2 in South Africa

#474 in the World

Founded: 1918

3. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Data Science

#3 in South Africa

#522 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

4. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Data Science

#4 in South Africa

#552 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

5. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Data Science

#5 in South Africa

#599 in the World

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

6. Ain Shams University

For Data Science

#1 in Egypt

#648 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

7. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Data Science

#6 in South Africa

#670 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

8. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

For Data Science

#671 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 67,415

9. University of Sfax

For Data Science

#686 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%

10. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

For Data Science

#696 in the World

Enrollment: 99,300

11. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Data Science

#7 in South Africa

#697 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

12. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University

For Data Science

#728 in the World

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

13. Cairo University

For Data Science

#2 in Egypt

#738 in the World

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

14. Ibn Tofail University

Morocco | Kenitra

For Data Science

#834 in the World

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

15. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

For Data Science

#900 in the World

Enrollment: 29,703

16. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Data Science

#8 in South Africa

#990 in the World

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

17. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

For Data Science

#3 in Egypt

#997 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

18. Manouba University

Tunisia | Manouba

For Data Science

#1027 in the World

Enrollment: 16,315

19. University of Ghana

For Data Science

#1 in Ghana

#1074 in the World

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

20. University of Mauritius

Mauritius | Reduit

For Data Science

#1 in Mauritius

#1118 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1965

21. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

For Data Science

#4 in Egypt

#1158 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

22. Covenant University

For Data Science

#1175 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

23. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

For Data Science

#1183 in the World

24. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Data Science

#1 in Uganda

#1207 in the World

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

25. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Data Science

#1 in Botswana

#1213 in the World

Founded: 1964

26. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

For Data Science

#1224 in the World

27. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Data Science

#9 in South Africa

#1239 in the World

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

28. University of Sousse

Tunisia | Sousse

For Data Science

#1308 in the World

29. Abdelmalek Essaadi University

Morocco | Tetouan

For Data Science

#1425 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 36,000

30. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

For Data Science

#5 in Egypt

#1434 in the World

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

31. Assiut University

For Data Science

#6 in Egypt

#1472 in the World

Founded: 1957

32. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Data Science

#10 in South Africa

#1504 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

33. Helwan University

For Data Science

#7 in Egypt

#1516 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1975

34. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Data Science

#1517 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1962

35. University of Carthage

Tunisia | Tunis

For Data Science

#1525 in the World

Enrollment: 50,314

36. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Data Science

#11 in South Africa

#1564 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

37. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Data Science

#1612 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

38. Minia University

For Data Science

#8 in Egypt

#1647 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

39. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

For Data Science

#1670 in the World

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

40. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Data Science

#12 in South Africa

#1674 in the World

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

41. University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene

Algeria | Algiers

For Data Science

#1741 in the World

42. Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport

Egypt | Alexandria

For Data Science

#9 in Egypt

#1752 in the World

Enrollment: 18,000
Founded: 1972

43. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

For Data Science

#10 in Egypt

#1755 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

44. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Data Science

#13 in South Africa

#1785 in the World

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

45. Federal University of Technology, Akure

Nigeria | Akure

For Data Science

#1791 in the World

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

46. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

For Data Science

#1 in Sudan

#1809 in the World

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

47. Benha University

For Data Science

#11 in Egypt

#1817 in the World

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

48. Al-Azhar University

For Data Science

#12 in Egypt

#1834 in the World

Founded: 1961

49. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Data Science

#1 in Kenya

#1857 in the World

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

50. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Data Science

#14 in South Africa

#1899 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

51. University of Bejaia

Algeria | Bejaia

For Data Science

#1907 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%

52. Namibia University of Science and Technology

Namibia | Windhoek

For Data Science

#1 in Namibia

#1964 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Founded: 1985

53. British University in Egypt

Egypt | El Shorouk

For Data Science

#13 in Egypt

#1965 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 9,228
Founded: 2005

54. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Data Science

#2020 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

55. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Data Science

#15 in South Africa

#2030 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

56. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Data Science

#1 in Ethiopia

#2039 in the World

Founded: 1950

57. American University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

For Data Science

#14 in Egypt

#2058 in the World

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

58. Landmark University

Nigeria | Omu-Aran

For Data Science

#2063 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded: 2011

59. South Valley University - Qena

For Data Science

#15 in Egypt

#2094 in the World

Founded: 1995

60. Nile University

Egypt | Sheikh Zayed City

For Data Science

#16 in Egypt

#2125 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Enrollment: 500
Founded: 2006

61. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Data Science

#2153 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1975

62. University of Algiers 1

Algeria | Algiers

For Data Science

#2173 in the World

63. Cheikh Anta Diop University

Senegal | Dakar

For Data Science

#1 in Senegal

#2212 in the World

Founded: 1918

64. University of Biskra

Algeria | Biskra

For Data Science

#2245 in the World

65. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

For Data Science

#2 in Ghana

#2264 in the World

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

66. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Data Science

#2278 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

67. University of Annaba

Algeria | Annaba

For Data Science

#2296 in the World

Enrollment: 8,443

68. University of Constantine 1

Algeria | Constantine

For Data Science

#2309 in the World