Best Universities for Political Economy 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 Political Economy. A graph of 73.4K citations received by 13.2K academic papers made by 48 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 | Johannesburg

For Political Economy

#1 in South Africa

#100 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

2. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Political Economy

#2 in South Africa

#138 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

3. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

For Political Economy

#3 in South Africa

#142 in the World

Founded: 1874

4. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Political Economy

#4 in South Africa

#190 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

5. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Political Economy

#5 in South Africa

#206 in the World

Founded: 1918

6. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Political Economy

#6 in South Africa

#234 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

7. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Political Economy

#7 in South Africa

#285 in the World

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

8. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Political Economy

#8 in South Africa

#344 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

9. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Political Economy

#9 in South Africa

#348 in the World

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

10. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Political Economy

#10 in South Africa

#399 in the World

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

11. American University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

For Political Economy

#1 in Egypt

#401 in the World

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

12. University of Ghana

For Political Economy

#1 in Ghana

#402 in the World

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

13. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Political Economy

#405 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

14. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Political Economy

#1 in Botswana

#424 in the World

Founded: 1964

15. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

For Political Economy

#498 in the World

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

16. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Political Economy

#543 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

17. Obafemi Awolowo University

For Political Economy

#552 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Founded: 1962

18. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Political Economy

#11 in South Africa

#626 in the World

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

19. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Political Economy

#1 in Kenya

#644 in the World

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

20. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Political Economy

#698 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1962

21. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Political Economy

#710 in the World

Founded: 1950

22. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Political Economy

#1 in Uganda

#727 in the World

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

23. Lagos State University

For Political Economy

#744 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1983

24. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Political Economy

#751 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

25. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Political Economy

#1 in Tanzania

#771 in the World

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

26. Cairo University

For Political Economy

#2 in Egypt

#781 in the World

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

27. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Political Economy

#12 in South Africa

#839 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

28. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Political Economy

#13 in South Africa

#842 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

29. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Political Economy

#878 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

30. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Political Economy

#14 in South Africa

#894 in the World

Founded: 1916

31. National University of Lesotho

Lesotho | Maseru

For Political Economy

#1 in Lesotho

#895 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1945

32. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Political Economy

#917 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

33. University of Zambia

Zambia | Lusaka

For Political Economy

#1 in Zambia

#928 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1965

34. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Political Economy

#955 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1975

35. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Political Economy

#15 in South Africa

#962 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

36. University of Malawi

For Political Economy

#1 in Malawi

#1022 in the World

Founded: 1964

37. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Political Economy

#16 in South Africa

#1028 in the World

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

38. Midlands State University

Zimbabwe | Gweru

For Political Economy

#1044 in the World

Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 2000

39. Covenant University

For Political Economy

#10 in Nigeria

#1058 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

40. Great Zimbabwe University

Zimbabwe | Masvingo

For Political Economy

#1077 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Enrollment: 14,164
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1999

41. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti

Nigeria | Ado Ekiti

For Political Economy

#11 in Nigeria

#1096 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1982

42. University of Jos

For Political Economy

#12 in Nigeria

#1113 in the World

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

43. Adekunle Ajasin University

Nigeria | Akungba Akoko

For Political Economy

#13 in Nigeria

#1133 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Founded: 1982

44. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

For Political Economy

#2 in Ghana

#1154 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

45. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Political Economy

#17 in South Africa

#1162 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

46. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

For Political Economy

#14 in Nigeria

#1167 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1991

47. Bahir Dar University

Ethiopia | Bahir Dar

For Political Economy

#1195 in the World

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

48. Federal University, Oye-Ekiti

Nigeria | Oye-Ekiti

For Political Economy

#15 in Nigeria

#1222 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Founded: 2011

Economics subfields in Africa

Actuarial Science27

Agricultural Economics92

Development Studies311

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics183

Environmental Economics58

International Economics41

International Relations and Diplomacy27

International Trade41

Investment Banking and Stock trading74