Best Universities for Political Economy in Africa

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Africa ranked based on their research performance in Political Economy. A graph of 129K citations received by 15.8K academic papers made by 67 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 the Witwatersrand

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Political Economy

#1 in South Africa

#105 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

2. University of Johannesburg

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Political Economy

#2 in South Africa

#133 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

3. University of Cape Town

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Cape Town

For Political Economy

#3 in South Africa

#152 in the World

Founded: 1874

4. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Durban

For Political Economy

#4 in South Africa

#184 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

5. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Political Economy

#5 in South Africa

#214 in the World

Founded: 1918

6. University of Pretoria

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Political Economy

#6 in South Africa

#229 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

7. University of South Africa

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Political Economy

#7 in South Africa

#259 in the World

Enrollment: 420,000
Founded: 1873

8. University of the Western Cape

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Bellville

For Political Economy

#8 in South Africa

#348 in the World

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

9. University of Ghana

For Political Economy

#1 in Ghana

#365 in the World

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

10. University of the Free State

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Political Economy

#9 in South Africa

#375 in the World

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

11. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Political Economy

#378 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 41,269
Founded: 1948

12. Rhodes University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Makhanda

For Political Economy

#10 in South Africa

#392 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

13. American University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

For Political Economy

#1 in Egypt

#417 in the World

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

14. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Political Economy

#1 in Botswana

#448 in the World

Founded: 1964

15. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Political Economy

#458 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

16. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

For Political Economy

#466 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 20,399
Founded: 1955

17. Obafemi Awolowo University

For Political Economy

#533 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Enrollment: 32,480
Founded: 1962

18. North-West University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Political Economy

#11 in South Africa

#600 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 2004

19. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Political Economy

#1 in Kenya

#643 in the World

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

20. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Political Economy

#659 in the World

Founded: 1950

21. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Political Economy

#661 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 48,680
Founded: 1962

22. Cairo University

For Political Economy

#2 in Egypt

#696 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Enrollment: 207,853
Founded: 1908

23. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Political Economy

#756 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

24. Lagos State University

For Political Economy

#759 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1983

25. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Political Economy

#1 in Uganda

#767 in the World

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

26. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Political Economy

#1 in Tanzania

#773 in the World

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

27. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Political Economy

#809 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

28. University of Zululand

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Political Economy

#12 in South Africa

#810 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

29. University of Limpopo

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Mankweng

For Political Economy

#13 in South Africa

#812 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

30. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Political Economy

#827 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 40,645
Founded: 1975

31. University of Fort Hare

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Alice

For Political Economy

#14 in South Africa

#849 in the World

Enrollment: 11,074
Founded: 1916

32. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Political Economy

#879 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

33. National University of Lesotho

Lesotho | Maseru

For Political Economy

#1 in Lesotho

#887 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1945

34. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti

Nigeria | Ado Ekiti

For Political Economy

#10 in Nigeria

#938 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1982

35. Covenant University

For Political Economy

#11 in Nigeria

#947 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

36. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Political Economy

#15 in South Africa

#959 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

37. Midlands State University

Zimbabwe | Gweru

For Political Economy

#1000 in the World

Enrollment: 22,000
Founded: 2000

38. University of Zambia

Zambia | Lusaka

For Political Economy

#1 in Zambia

#1001 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1965

39. Redeemer's University

For Political Economy

#12 in Nigeria

#1003 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 2005

40. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

For Political Economy

#13 in Nigeria

#1028 in the World

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

41. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

For Political Economy

#14 in Nigeria

#1033 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1991

42. Durban University of Technology

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Durban

For Political Economy

#16 in South Africa

#1036 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 2002

43. University of Malawi

For Political Economy

#1 in Malawi

#1040 in the World

Founded: 1964

44. Usmanu Danfodio University

Nigeria | Sokoto

For Political Economy

#15 in Nigeria

#1077 in the World

Founded: 1975

45. University of Buea

Cameroon | Buea

For Political Economy

#1 in Cameroon

#1108 in the World

Founded: 1992

46. Delta State University, Abraka

Nigeria | Abraka

For Political Economy

#16 in Nigeria

#1132 in the World

Founded: 1992

47. Adekunle Ajasin University

Nigeria | Akungba Akoko

For Political Economy

#17 in Nigeria

#1139 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Founded: 1982

48. Great Zimbabwe University

Zimbabwe | Masvingo

For Political Economy

#1162 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Founded: 1999

49. University of Jos

For Political Economy

#18 in Nigeria

#1172 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 52,000
Founded: 1975

50. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

For Political Economy

#2 in Ghana

#1188 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

51. Bahir Dar University

Ethiopia | Bahir Dar

For Political Economy

#1192 in the World

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

52. Osun State University

Nigeria | Osogbo

For Political Economy

#19 in Nigeria

#1206 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Founded: 2007

53. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

For Political Economy

#3 in Ghana

#1209 in the World

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

54. Ambrose Alli University

Nigeria | Ekpoma

For Political Economy

#20 in Nigeria

#1211 in the World

Founded: 1980

55. University of Education, Winneba

Ghana | Winneba

For Political Economy

#4 in Ghana

#1222 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Founded: 1992

56. Federal University, Oye-Ekiti

Nigeria | Oye-Ekiti

For Political Economy

#21 in Nigeria

#1243 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 2011

57. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Political Economy

#17 in South Africa

#1256 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

58. Kenyatta University

Kenya | Nairobi

For Political Economy

#2 in Kenya

#1259 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1985

59. Federal University, Lafia

Nigeria | Lafia

For Political Economy

#22 in Nigeria

#1269 in the World

Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 2011

60. University for Development Studies

For Political Economy

#5 in Ghana

#1276 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1992

61. Babcock University

Nigeria | Ilishan-Remo

For Political Economy

#23 in Nigeria

#1283 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 130,000
Founded: 1999

62. University of Uyo

For Political Economy

#24 in Nigeria

#1287 in the World

Founded: 1991

63. University of Venda

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Political Economy

#18 in South Africa

#1290 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

64. Olabisi Onabanjo University

Nigeria | Ago Iwoye

For Political Economy

#25 in Nigeria

#1291 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Founded: 1982

65. Ebonyi State University

Nigeria | Abakaliki

For Political Economy

#26 in Nigeria

#1292 in the World

Founded: 2000

66. Rivers State University

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Political Economy

#27 in Nigeria

#1322 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1980

67. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University

For Political Economy

#28 in Nigeria

#1323 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Founded: 2000

Economics subfields in Africa

Actuarial Science37

Agricultural Economics115

Development Studies331

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics218

Environmental Economics73

International Economics55

International Relations and Diplomacy27

International Trade56

Investment Banking and Stock trading104