Best Universities for Civil Engineering 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 Civil Engineering. A graph of 885K citations received by 61.4K academic papers made by 205 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 Civil Engineering

#1 in South Africa

#276 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Civil Engineering

#2 in South Africa

#372 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

3. Cairo University

Egypt | Giza

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Egypt

#412 in the World

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

4. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Civil Engineering

#3 in South Africa

#442 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

5. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Civil Engineering

#4 in South Africa

#447 in the World

Founded: 1918

6. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Civil Engineering

#5 in South Africa

#524 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

7. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Ethiopia

#557 in the World

Founded: 1950

8. Ain Shams University

Egypt | Cairo

For Civil Engineering

#2 in Egypt

#573 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

9. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

For Civil Engineering

#3 in Egypt

#608 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

10. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

For Civil Engineering

#4 in Egypt

#627 in the World

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

11. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Civil Engineering

#6 in South Africa

#640 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

12. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

For Civil Engineering

#5 in Egypt

#664 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

13. Tanta University

Egypt | Tanta

For Civil Engineering

#6 in Egypt

#744 in the World

Founded: 1972

14. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Ghana | Kumasi

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Ghana

#773 in the World

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

15. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Civil Engineering

#7 in South Africa

#841 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 2004

16. University of Sfax

Tunisia | Sfax

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Tunisia

#871 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%

17. Federal University of Technology, Akure

Nigeria | Akure

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Nigeria

#878 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Enrollment: 23,100
Founded: 1981

18. Obafemi Awolowo University

Nigeria | Ife

For Civil Engineering

#2 in Nigeria

#893 in the World

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

19. Assiut University

Egypt | Asyut

For Civil Engineering

#7 in Egypt

#922 in the World

Founded: 1957

20. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Morocco

#970 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%

21. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Civil Engineering

#3 in Nigeria

#1024 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

22. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Civil Engineering

#4 in Nigeria

#1061 in the World

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

23. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Civil Engineering

#8 in South Africa

#1068 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

24. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Uganda

#1069 in the World

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

25. Covenant University

Nigeria | Ota

For Civil Engineering

#5 in Nigeria

#1097 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

26. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Civil Engineering

#9 in South Africa

#1100 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

27. Helwan University

Egypt | Cairo

For Civil Engineering

#8 in Egypt

#1103 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1975

28. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Tanzania

#1111 in the World

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

29. University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene

Algeria | Algiers

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Algeria

#1134 in the World

Enrollment: 54,549

30. Bahir Dar University

Ethiopia | Bahir Dar

For Civil Engineering

#2 in Ethiopia

#1138 in the World

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

31. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Civil Engineering

#10 in South Africa

#1174 in the World

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

32. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Botswana

#1179 in the World

Founded: 1964

33. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

For Civil Engineering

#2 in Morocco

#1204 in the World

34. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Civil Engineering

#6 in Nigeria

#1245 in the World

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

35. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Kenya

#1263 in the World

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

36. Benha University

Egypt | Benha

For Civil Engineering

#9 in Egypt

#1287 in the World

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

37. University of Ghana

Ghana | Legon

For Civil Engineering

#2 in Ghana

#1291 in the World

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

38. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

For Civil Engineering

#7 in Nigeria

#1319 in the World

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

39. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Civil Engineering

#11 in South Africa

#1324 in the World

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

40. Mekelle University

Ethiopia | Mekelle

For Civil Engineering

#3 in Ethiopia

#1338 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Founded: 1991

41. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

For Civil Engineering

#10 in Egypt

#1346 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

42. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Civil Engineering

#12 in South Africa

#1351 in the World

Enrollment: 420,000
Founded: 1873

43. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

For Civil Engineering

#2 in Tunisia

#1409 in the World

44. Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport

Egypt | Alexandria

For Civil Engineering

#11 in Egypt

#1411 in the World

Enrollment: 18,000
Founded: 1972

45. Jimma University

Ethiopia | Jimma

For Civil Engineering

#4 in Ethiopia

#1412 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1983

46. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Civil Engineering

#13 in South Africa

#1422 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

47. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Zimbabwe

#1434 in the World

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

48. Abdelmalek Essaadi University

Morocco | Tetouan

For Civil Engineering

#3 in Morocco

#1449 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%

49. Al-Azhar University

Egypt | Cairo

For Civil Engineering

#12 in Egypt

#1478 in the World

Founded: 1961

50. American University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

For Civil Engineering

#13 in Egypt

#1495 in the World

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

51. Hawassa University

Ethiopia | Awasa

For Civil Engineering

#5 in Ethiopia

#1510 in the World

Enrollment: 30,414
Male:Female: 75:25
Founded: 1976

52. University of Biskra

Algeria | Biskra

For Civil Engineering

#2 in Algeria

#1561 in the World

Enrollment: 31,588

53. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

For Civil Engineering

#3 in Tunisia

#1593 in the World

54. University of Carthage

Tunisia | Tunis

For Civil Engineering

#4 in Tunisia

#1613 in the World

Enrollment: 50,314

55. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

For Civil Engineering

#4 in Morocco

#1632 in the World

56. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Kenya | Nairobi

For Civil Engineering

#2 in Kenya

#1663 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1994

57. Haramaya University

Ethiopia | Haramaya

For Civil Engineering

#6 in Ethiopia

#1666 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1954

58. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

For Civil Engineering

#5 in Tunisia

#1668 in the World

59. Kafrelsheikh University

Egypt | Kafr El Sheikh

For Civil Engineering

#14 in Egypt

#1686 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 2006

60. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Civil Engineering

#8 in Nigeria

#1709 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

61. University for Development Studies

Ghana | Tamale

For Civil Engineering

#3 in Ghana

#1712 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1992

62. Port Said University

Egypt | Port Said

For Civil Engineering

#15 in Egypt

#1728 in the World

Founded: 2010

63. Suez Canal University

Egypt | Ismailia

For Civil Engineering

#16 in Egypt

#1730 in the World

Enrollment: 40,317
Founded: 1976

64. Federal University of Technology, Minna

Nigeria | Minna

For Civil Engineering

#9 in Nigeria

#1731 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 26,181
Founded: 1982

65. British University in Egypt

Egypt | El Shorouk

For Civil Engineering

#17 in Egypt

#1789 in the World

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

66. Arba Minch University

Ethiopia | Arba Minch

For Civil Engineering

#7 in Ethiopia

#1814 in the World

Enrollment: 37,433
Founded: 1986

67. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University

Morocco | Fez

For Civil Engineering

#5 in Morocco

#1852 in the World

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

68. University of Annaba

Algeria | Annaba

For Civil Engineering

#3 in Algeria

#1853 in the World

Enrollment: 39,916

69. University of Tlemcen

Algeria | Tlemcen

For Civil Engineering

#4 in Algeria

#1859 in the World

70. Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology

Egypt | New Borg El Arab

For Civil Engineering

#18 in Egypt

#1880 in the World

Founded: 2010

71. Minia University

Egypt | Minya

For Civil Engineering

#19 in Egypt

#1884 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

72. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

For Civil Engineering

#4 in Ghana

#1896 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

73. Sokoine University of Agriculture

Tanzania | Morogoro

For Civil Engineering

#2 in Tanzania

#1902 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1984

74. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Civil Engineering

#10 in Nigeria

#1912 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

75. University of Blida 1

Algeria | Blida

For Civil Engineering

#5 in Algeria

#1926 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%

76. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Civil Engineering

#11 in Nigeria

#1942 in the World

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

77. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Civil Engineering

#14 in South Africa

#1957 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Enrollment: 35,047
Founded: 2005

78. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Sudan

#1967 in the World

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

79. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Civil Engineering

#15 in South Africa

#2004 in the World

Enrollment: 11,074
Founded: 1916

80. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

Nigeria | Abeokuta

For Civil Engineering

#12 in Nigeria

#2005 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Founded: 1988

81. Sohag university

Egypt | Nasser City

For Civil Engineering

#20 in Egypt

#2049 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 2006

82. Aswan University

Egypt | Aswan

For Civil Engineering

#21 in Egypt

#2072 in the World

Enrollment: 1,898
Founded: 2012

83. Federal University of Technology, Owerri

Nigeria | Owerri

For Civil Engineering

#13 in Nigeria

#2079 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1980

84. University of Zambia

Zambia | Lusaka

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Zambia

#2087 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1965

85. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Civil Engineering

#14 in Nigeria

#2098 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

86. University of Constantine 1

Algeria | Constantine

For Civil Engineering

#6 in Algeria

#2114 in the World

87. Adekunle Ajasin University

Nigeria | Akungba Akoko

For Civil Engineering

#15 in Nigeria

#2131 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Founded: 1982

88. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti

Nigeria | Ado Ekiti

For Civil Engineering

#16 in Nigeria

#2175 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1982

89. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

Nigeria | Awka

For Civil Engineering

#17 in Nigeria

#2177 in the World

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

90. University of Batna 1

Algeria | Batna

For Civil Engineering

#7 in Algeria

#2184 in the World

91. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology

Nigeria | Ogbomoso

For Civil Engineering

#18 in Nigeria

#2221 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1990

92. Cheikh Anta Diop University

Senegal | Dakar

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Senegal

#2239 in the World

Founded: 1918

93. University of Mauritius

Mauritius | Reduit

For Civil Engineering

#1 in Mauritius

#2241 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1965

94. Beni-Suef University

Egypt | Beni Suef

For Civil Engineering

#22 in Egypt

#2251 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Founded: 2005

95. University of Gondar

Ethiopia | Gondar

For Civil Engineering

#8 in Ethiopia

#2254 in the World

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

96. National Polytechnic School, Algeria

Algeria | Algiers

For Civil Engineering

#8 in Algeria

#2258 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Enrollment: 1,400

97. Fayoum University

Egypt | Faiyum

For Civil Engineering

#23 in Egypt

#2264 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Founded: 2005

98. South Valley University - Qena

Egypt | Qena

For Civil Engineering

#24 in Egypt

#2270 in the World

Founded: 1995

99. Kenyatta University

Kenya | Nairobi

For Civil Engineering

#3 in Kenya

#2277 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1985

100. University of Sousse

Tunisia | Sousse

For Civil Engineering

#6 in Tunisia

#2302 in the World

Enrollment: 19,311

Engineering subfields in Africa

Acoustical Engineering219

Aerospace Engineering225

Agricultural Engineering72

Applied/Engineering Physics41

Architectural Engineering63

Architecture47

Automation and Control engineering81

Automotive Engineering129

Aviation22

Biochemical Engineering44

Biomedical Engineering33

Biotechnology216

Chemical Engineering245

Computer Engineering66

Computer Networking246

Construction Management41

Electrical Engineering287

Electronic Engineering143

Engineering Management35

Environmental Engineering219

Firefighting and Fire Science22

Geotechnical Engineering233

Human-Computer Interaction85

Industrial Engineering22

Landscape Architecture32

Marine Engineering26

Materials Science314

Mechanical Engineering277

Metallurgical Engineering281

Mining Engineering74

Nanotechnology219

Nuclear Engineering38

Operations Research70

Optical Engineering280

Petroleum Engineering72

Polymer science and Plastics engineering18

Product and Industrial Design11

Reliability and Quality Engineering100

Remote Sensing131

Renewable Energy Engineering157

Robotics39

Structural Engineering194

Systems Engineering152

Technical Drawing20

Telecommunications263

Transportation Engineering63