List of 100 best universities in Africa

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Top 100 universities in Africa ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 42.6M citations received by 2.87M academic publications made by 1,104 universities from Africa, the popularity of 4,509 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of Cape Town

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Cape Town

#1 in South Africa

#238 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

#2 in South Africa

#385 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

3. University of Pretoria

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

#3 in South Africa

#391 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

4. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Stellenbosch

#4 in South Africa

#434 in the World

Founded: 1918

5. Cairo University

#1 in Egypt

#529 in the World

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

6. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Durban

#5 in South Africa

#598 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

7. University of Johannesburg

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

#6 in South Africa

#728 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

8. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

#1 in Uganda

#770 in the World

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

9. Ain Shams University

#2 in Egypt

#882 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

10. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

#1 in Kenya

#883 in the World

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

11. University of South Africa

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

#7 in South Africa

#899 in the World

Enrollment: 420,000
Founded: 1873

12. North-West University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Potchefstroom

#8 in South Africa

#921 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 2004

13. University of Ghana

#1 in Ghana

#933 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1948

14. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

#3 in Egypt

#962 in the World

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

15. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

#975 in the World

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

16. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

#995 in the World

17. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

#1052 in the World

18. University of the Free State

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Bloemfontein

#9 in South Africa

#1063 in the World

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

19. University of the Western Cape

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Bellville

#10 in South Africa

#1096 in the World

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

20. Rhodes University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Makhanda

#11 in South Africa

#1104 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

21. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

#1121 in the World

Founded: 1950

22. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

#2 in Ghana

#1187 in the World

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

23. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

#1236 in the World

24. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

#4 in Egypt

#1238 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

25. American University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

#5 in Egypt

#1260 in the World

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

26. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

#1269 in the World

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

27. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

#1441 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%

28. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

#1463 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 45,155
Founded: 1970

29. Cheikh Anta Diop University

Senegal | Dakar

#1480 in the World

Enrollment: 89,589
Founded: 1918

30. University of Sousse

Tunisia | Sousse

#1488 in the World

Enrollment: 19,311

31. University of Carthage

Tunisia | Tunis

#1545 in the World

Enrollment: 50,314

32. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

#12 in South Africa

#1633 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

33. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

#1650 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

34. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

#13 in South Africa

#1663 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

35. Al-Azhar University

#6 in Egypt

#1732 in the World

Founded: 1961

36. Manouba University

Tunisia | Manouba

#1746 in the World

Enrollment: 17,040

37. Obafemi Awolowo University

#1795 in the World

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

38. University of Zambia

Zambia | Lusaka

#1 in Zambia

#1806 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1965

39. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

#1 in Sudan

#1807 in the World

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

40. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

#1814 in the World

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

41. University of Kinshasa

DR Congo | Kinshasa

#1 in the DR Congo

#1864 in the World

Founded: 1954

42. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

#1878 in the World

43. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

#1961 in the World

Founded: 1964

44. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

#2012 in the World

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

45. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

#3 in Ghana

#2015 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

46. Kenyatta University

Kenya | Nairobi

#2 in Kenya

#2040 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1985

47. Eduardo Mondlane University

Mozambique Flag

Mozambique | Maputo

#1 in Mozambique

#2048 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1962

48. Covenant University

#2053 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

49. Durban University of Technology

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Durban

#14 in South Africa

#2093 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 2002

50. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

#7 in Egypt

#2195 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

51. Sokoine University of Agriculture

Tanzania | Morogoro

#2274 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1984

52. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Cape Town

#15 in South Africa

#2299 in the World

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

53. Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport

Egypt | Alexandria

#8 in Egypt

#2301 in the World

Enrollment: 18,000
Founded: 1972

54. Assiut University

#9 in Egypt

#2307 in the World

Founded: 1957

55. Helwan University

#10 in Egypt

#2354 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1975

56. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Kenya | Nairobi

#3 in Kenya

#2414 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1994

57. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

#2470 in the World

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

58. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

#2498 in the World

59. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

#2528 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 76,000
Founded: 1975

60. Moi University

Kenya | Eldoret

#4 in Kenya

#2533 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Founded: 1984

61. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

#2608 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

62. University of Limpopo

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Mankweng

#16 in South Africa

#2621 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

63. University of Lubumbashi

DR Congo | Lubumbashi

#2 in the DR Congo

#2630 in the World

Founded: 1955

64. University of Namibia

Namibia | Windhoek

#2716 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

65. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

#10 in Nigeria

#2730 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

66. University of Fort Hare

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Alice

#17 in South Africa

#2762 in the World

Enrollment: 11,074
Founded: 1916

67. Strathmore University

Kenya | Nairobi

#5 in Kenya

#2780 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 8,189
Founded: 2002

68. Felix Houphouet-Boigny University

Ivory Coast Flag

Ivory Coast | Abidjan

#1 in Ivory Coast

#2797 in the World

Enrollment: 60,189
Founded: 1964

69. Gabes University

Tunisia | Gabes

#2819 in the World

Enrollment: 15,263

70. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University

#2821 in the World

71. Jimma University

Ethiopia | Jimma

#2838 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1983

72. Ibn Tofail University

Morocco | Kenitra

#2844 in the World

73. University of Mauritius

Mauritius | Reduit

#1 in Mauritius

#2862 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1965

74. Tanta University

#11 in Egypt

#2876 in the World

Founded: 1972

75. University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene

Algeria | Algiers

#2911 in the World

Enrollment: 54,549

76. Suez Canal University

Egypt | Ismailia

#12 in Egypt

#2975 in the World

Enrollment: 40,317
Founded: 1976

77. University of Abomey-Calavi

Benin | Abomey-Calavi

#1 in Benin

#2988 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1970

78. Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

#2991 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 2007

79. Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Uganda | Mbarara

#2 in Uganda

#3053 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1989

80. University of Kisangani

DR Congo | Kisangani

#3 in the DR Congo

#3065 in the World

Founded: 1963

81. University for Development Studies

#4 in Ghana

#3077 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Enrollment: 13,132
Founded: 1992

82. Benha University

#13 in Egypt

#3088 in the World

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

83. Namibia University of Science and Technology

Namibia | Windhoek

#3133 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Founded: 1985

84. University of Venda

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Thohoyandou

#18 in South Africa

#3146 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

85. University of Sfax

#3152 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 33,193

86. Lagos State University

#11 in Nigeria

#3164 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1983

87. Federal University of Technology, Akure

Nigeria | Akure

#12 in Nigeria

#3173 in the World

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

88. University of Constantine 1

Algeria | Constantine

#3209 in the World

89. Minia University

#14 in Egypt

#3222 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

90. University of Tlemcen

Algeria | Tlemcen

#3231 in the World

91. Abdelmalek Essaadi University

Morocco | Tetouan

#3235 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%

92. Egerton University

#6 in Kenya

#3285 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1987

93. Walter Sisulu University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Mthatha

#19 in South Africa

#3337 in the World

Founded: 2005

94. Bayero University Kano

#13 in Nigeria

#3363 in the World

Enrollment: 45,810
Founded: 1975

95. Africa University

Zimbabwe | Mutare

#3387 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1992

96. Bahir Dar University

Ethiopia | Bahir Dar

#3391 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 2001

97. University of Jos

#14 in Nigeria

#3439 in the World

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

98. University of the Gambia

Gambia | Serekunda

#1 in the Gambia

#3447 in the World

Founded: 1999

99. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

#15 in Nigeria

#3448 in the World

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

100. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

#15 in Egypt

#3460 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976