Best Universities for Mechanical Engineering 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 Mechanical Engineering. A graph of 1.52M citations received by 154K academic papers made by 260 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 Mechanical Engineering

#1 in South Africa

#428 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in South Africa

#450 in the World

Founded: 1918

3. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in South Africa

#472 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

4. Cairo University

Egypt | Giza

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Egypt

#485 in the World

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

5. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in South Africa

#512 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

6. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Egypt

#675 in the World

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

7. University of Sfax

Tunisia | Sfax

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Tunisia

#698 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%

8. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in South Africa

#705 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

9. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in South Africa

#719 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

10. Ain Shams University

Egypt | Cairo

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Egypt

#730 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

11. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Egypt

#767 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

12. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in Egypt

#871 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

13. Tanta University

Egypt | Tanta

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in Egypt

#897 in the World

Founded: 1972

14. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Tunisia

#931 in the World

15. Assiut University

Egypt | Asyut

For Mechanical Engineering

#7 in Egypt

#944 in the World

Founded: 1957

16. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Mechanical Engineering

#7 in South Africa

#947 in the World

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

17. Helwan University

Egypt | Cairo

For Mechanical Engineering

#8 in Egypt

#977 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1975

18. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

For Mechanical Engineering

#9 in Egypt

#1020 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

19. Benha University

Egypt | Benha

For Mechanical Engineering

#10 in Egypt

#1093 in the World

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

20. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Morocco

#1223 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 67,415

21. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Mechanical Engineering

#8 in South Africa

#1232 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

22. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Nigeria

#1245 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

23. University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene

Algeria | Algiers

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Algeria

#1254 in the World

24. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Tunisia

#1313 in the World

25. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Mechanical Engineering

#9 in South Africa

#1336 in the World

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

26. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Tunisia

#1337 in the World

27. Minia University

Egypt | Minya

For Mechanical Engineering

#11 in Egypt

#1416 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

28. Al-Azhar University

Egypt | Cairo

For Mechanical Engineering

#12 in Egypt

#1502 in the World

Founded: 1961

29. National Polytechnic School, Algeria

Algeria | Algiers

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Algeria

#1529 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%

30. University of Science and Technology of Oran

Algeria | Oran

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Algeria

#1580 in the World

31. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Morocco

#1584 in the World

Enrollment: 99,300

32. Suez Canal University

Egypt | Ismailia

For Mechanical Engineering

#13 in Egypt

#1596 in the World

Enrollment: 40,317
Founded: 1976

33. Covenant University

Nigeria | Ota

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Nigeria

#1610 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

34. Obafemi Awolowo University

Nigeria | Ife

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Nigeria

#1615 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Founded: 1962

35. Federal University of Technology, Akure

Nigeria | Akure

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Nigeria

#1634 in the World

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

36. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Mechanical Engineering

#10 in South Africa

#1675 in the World

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

37. Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport

Egypt | Alexandria

For Mechanical Engineering

#14 in Egypt

#1685 in the World

Enrollment: 18,000
Founded: 1972

38. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in Nigeria

#1688 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

39. University of Annaba

Algeria | Annaba

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Algeria

#1696 in the World

Enrollment: 8,443

40. University of Ghana

Ghana | Legon

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Ghana

#1706 in the World

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

41. University of Constantine 1

Algeria | Constantine

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in Algeria

#1729 in the World

42. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Mechanical Engineering

#11 in South Africa

#1734 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

43. American University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

For Mechanical Engineering

#15 in Egypt

#1745 in the World

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

44. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Morocco

#1746 in the World

Enrollment: 29,703

45. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in Nigeria

#1755 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1962

46. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Mechanical Engineering

#12 in South Africa

#1758 in the World

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

47. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University

Morocco | Fez

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Morocco

#1762 in the World

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

48. Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology

Egypt | New Borg El Arab

For Mechanical Engineering

#16 in Egypt

#1770 in the World

Founded: 2010

49. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Mechanical Engineering

#13 in South Africa

#1789 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

50. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Ghana | Kumasi

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Ghana

#1842 in the World

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

51. University of Biskra

Algeria | Biskra

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in Algeria

#1845 in the World

52. University of Boumerdes

Algeria | Boumerdes

For Mechanical Engineering

#7 in Algeria

#1859 in the World

53. University of Sousse

Tunisia | Sousse

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in Tunisia

#1881 in the World

54. Port Said University

Egypt | Port Said

For Mechanical Engineering

#17 in Egypt

#1930 in the World

Founded: 2010

55. Suez University

Egypt | Suez

For Mechanical Engineering

#18 in Egypt

#1935 in the World

Founded: 2012

56. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Mechanical Engineering

#7 in Nigeria

#1944 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

57. University of Batna 1

Algeria | Batna

For Mechanical Engineering

#8 in Algeria

#1954 in the World

58. South Valley University - Qena

Egypt | Qena

For Mechanical Engineering

#19 in Egypt

#1964 in the World

Founded: 1995

59. Ferhat Abbas Setif University 1

Algeria | Setif

For Mechanical Engineering

#9 in Algeria

#1987 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%

60. University of Tlemcen

Algeria | Tlemcen

For Mechanical Engineering

#10 in Algeria

#1996 in the World

61. Kafrelsheikh University

Egypt | Kafr El Sheikh

For Mechanical Engineering

#20 in Egypt

#2001 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 2006

62. Abdelmalek Essaadi University

Morocco | Tetouan

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in Morocco

#2003 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 36,000

63. Beni-Suef University

Egypt | Beni Suef

For Mechanical Engineering

#21 in Egypt

#2008 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Founded: 2005

64. University of Carthage

Tunisia | Tunis

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in Tunisia

#2016 in the World

Enrollment: 50,314

65. Sohag university

Egypt | Nasser City

For Mechanical Engineering

#22 in Egypt

#2017 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 2006

66. University of Bejaia

Algeria | Bejaia

For Mechanical Engineering

#11 in Algeria

#2020 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%

67. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

For Mechanical Engineering

#8 in Nigeria

#2028 in the World

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

68. Aswan University

Egypt | Aswan

For Mechanical Engineering

#23 in Egypt

#2030 in the World

Enrollment: 1,898
Founded: 2012

69. Federal University of Technology, Owerri

Nigeria | Owerri

For Mechanical Engineering

#9 in Nigeria

#2079 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1980

70. Gabes University

Tunisia | Gabes

For Mechanical Engineering

#7 in Tunisia

#2091 in the World

71. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Ethiopia

#2106 in the World

Founded: 1950

72. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Mechanical Engineering

#14 in South Africa

#2145 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

73. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Kenya

#2203 in the World

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

74. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Uganda

#2232 in the World

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

75. University of Blida 1

Algeria | Blida

For Mechanical Engineering

#12 in Algeria

#2235 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%

76. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Zimbabwe

#2240 in the World

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

77. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Botswana

#2310 in the World

Founded: 1964

78. University of Dschang

Cameroon | Dschang

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Cameroon

#2312 in the World

Founded: 1993

79. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Mechanical Engineering

#10 in Nigeria

#2342 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

80. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Mechanical Engineering

#15 in South Africa

#2400 in the World

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

81. Fayoum University

Egypt | Faiyum

For Mechanical Engineering

#24 in Egypt

#2437 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Founded: 2005

82. Ibn Tofail University

Morocco | Kenitra

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in Morocco

#2465 in the World

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

83. German University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

For Mechanical Engineering

#25 in Egypt

#2468 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 2003

84. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

Nigeria | Abeokuta

For Mechanical Engineering

#11 in Nigeria

#2470 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Founded: 1988

85. Central University of Technology

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Mechanical Engineering

#16 in South Africa

#2511 in the World

Founded: 1981

86. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Kenya | Nairobi

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Kenya

#2538 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1994

87. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Tanzania

#2555 in the World

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

88. British University in Egypt

Egypt | El Shorouk

For Mechanical Engineering

#26 in Egypt

#2590 in the World

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

89. University of Algiers 1

Algeria | Algiers

For Mechanical Engineering

#13 in Algeria

#2605 in the World

90. University of Mauritius

Mauritius | Reduit

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Mauritius

#2617 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1965

91. University of Laghouat

Algeria | Laghouat

For Mechanical Engineering

#14 in Algeria

#2662 in the World

Enrollment: 23,000

92. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Sudan

#2663 in the World

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

93. Bayero University Kano

Nigeria | Kano

For Mechanical Engineering

#12 in Nigeria

#2666 in the World

Founded: 1975

94. Rivers State University

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Mechanical Engineering

#13 in Nigeria

#2668 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1980

95. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Mechanical Engineering

#14 in Nigeria

#2684 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

96. Federal University of Technology, Minna

Nigeria | Minna

For Mechanical Engineering

#15 in Nigeria

#2689 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1982

97. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

Nigeria | Awka

For Mechanical Engineering

#16 in Nigeria

#2699 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1991

98. University of Oran 1

Algeria | Oran

For Mechanical Engineering

#15 in Algeria

#2765 in the World

Enrollment: 60,000

99. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Ghana

#2773 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

100. University of Benghazi

Libya | Benghazi

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Libya

#2825 in the World

Founded: 1955

Engineering subfields in Africa

Acoustical Engineering179

Aerospace Engineering200

Agricultural Engineering63

Applied/Engineering Physics28

Architectural Engineering42

Architecture35

Automation and Control engineering72

Automotive Engineering107

Aviation18

Biochemical Engineering26

Biomedical Engineering28

Biotechnology193

Chemical Engineering228

Civil Engineering180

Computer Engineering60

Computer Networking218

Construction Management30

Electrical Engineering267

Electronic Engineering132

Engineering Management25

Environmental Engineering193

Firefighting and Fire Science20

Geotechnical Engineering208

Human-Computer Interaction71

Industrial Engineering20

Landscape Architecture28

Marine Engineering21

Materials Science302

Metallurgical Engineering264

Mining Engineering76

Nanotechnology201

Nuclear Engineering35

Operations Research57

Optical Engineering264

Petroleum Engineering49

Polymer science and Plastics engineering19

Product and Industrial Design10

Reliability and Quality Engineering80

Remote Sensing99

Renewable Energy Engineering138

Robotics35

Structural Engineering169

Systems Engineering131

Technical Drawing15

Telecommunications240

Transportation Engineering50