List of 100 best universities in Africa

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 24.5M citations received by 2.16M academic publications made by 1,104 universities from Africa, the popularity of 3,700 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

#1 in South Africa

#242 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

#2 in South Africa

#394 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

3. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

#3 in South Africa

#420 in the World

Founded: 1918

4. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

#4 in South Africa

#429 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

5. Cairo University

#1 in Egypt

#529 in the World

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

6. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

#5 in South Africa

#613 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

7. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

#1 in Uganda

#819 in the World

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

8. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

#1 in Kenya

#824 in the World

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

9. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

#6 in South Africa

#855 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

10. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

#7 in South Africa

#898 in the World

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

11. University of Ghana

#1 in Ghana

#963 in the World

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

12. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

#8 in South Africa

#966 in the World

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

13. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

#1057 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

14. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

#9 in South Africa

#1062 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

15. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

#2 in Egypt

#1063 in the World

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

16. Ain Shams University

#3 in Egypt

#1132 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

17. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

#10 in South Africa

#1138 in the World

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

18. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

#11 in South Africa

#1150 in the World

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

19. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

#1211 in the World

Founded: 1950

20. American University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

#4 in Egypt

#1326 in the World

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

21. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

#5 in Egypt

#1362 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

22. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

#2 in Ghana

#1377 in the World

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

23. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

#1431 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1962

24. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

#1558 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 67,415

25. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

#1603 in the World

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

26. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

#1607 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

27. Cheikh Anta Diop University

Senegal | Dakar

#1650 in the World

Founded: 1918

28. Obafemi Awolowo University

#1668 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Founded: 1962

29. Al-Azhar University

#6 in Egypt

#1691 in the World

Founded: 1961

30. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

#1762 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

31. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

#12 in South Africa

#1764 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

32. Eduardo Mondlane University

Mozambique | Maputo

#1 in Mozambique

#2076 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1962

33. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

#2115 in the World

Enrollment: 29,703

34. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

#2133 in the World

Founded: 1964

35. Assiut University

#7 in Egypt

#2157 in the World

Founded: 1957

36. University of Zambia

Zambia | Lusaka

#1 in Zambia

#2174 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1965

37. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

#2228 in the World

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

38. Kenyatta University

Kenya | Nairobi

#2 in Kenya

#2230 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1985

39. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

#13 in South Africa

#2272 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

40. Helwan University

#8 in Egypt

#2274 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1975

41. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

#14 in South Africa

#2289 in the World

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

42. Covenant University

#2295 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

43. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

#2298 in the World

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

44. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

#15 in South Africa

#2339 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

45. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

#1 in Sudan

#2511 in the World

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

46. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

#9 in Egypt

#2549 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

47. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

#3 in Ghana

#2583 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

48. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

#2601 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

49. Sokoine University of Agriculture

Tanzania | Morogoro

#2633 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1984

50. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

#2659 in the World

51. Future University in Egypt

Egypt | New Cairo

#10 in Egypt

#2687 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 9,085
Founded: 2006

52. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

#2694 in the World

Enrollment: 99,300

53. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Kenya | Nairobi

#3 in Kenya

#2702 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1994

54. University of Kinshasa

DR Congo | Kinshasa

#1 in the DR Congo

#2713 in the World

Founded: 1954

55. Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport

Egypt | Alexandria

#11 in Egypt

#2728 in the World

Enrollment: 18,000
Founded: 1972

56. University of Sfax

#2739 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%

57. University of Namibia

Namibia | Windhoek

#2768 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

58. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

#16 in South Africa

#2823 in the World

Founded: 1916

59. Tanta University

#12 in Egypt

#2827 in the World

Founded: 1972

60. University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene

Algeria | Algiers

#2890 in the World

61. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University

#2898 in the World

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

62. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

#2919 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

63. University of Abomey-Calavi

Benin | Abomey-Calavi

#1 in Benin

#2922 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 86,694
Male:Female: 73:27
Founded: 1970

64. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

#17 in South Africa

#3006 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

65. Federal University of Technology, Minna

Nigeria | Minna

#10 in Nigeria

#3036 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1982

66. Suez Canal University

Egypt | Ismailia

#13 in Egypt

#3097 in the World

Enrollment: 40,317
Founded: 1976

67. University of Tlemcen

Algeria | Tlemcen

#3112 in the World

68. Strathmore University

Kenya | Nairobi

#4 in Kenya

#3150 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 5,047
Male:Female: 50:50
Founded: 2002

69. Federal University of Technology, Akure

Nigeria | Akure

#11 in Nigeria

#3157 in the World

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

70. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

#14 in Egypt

#3192 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

71. University of Mauritius

Mauritius | Reduit

#1 in Mauritius

#3247 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1965

72. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

#12 in Nigeria

#3251 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1991

73. Moi University

Kenya | Eldoret

#5 in Kenya

#3258 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Founded: 1984

74. University of Yaounde I

Cameroon | Yaounde

#3261 in the World

Founded: 1962

75. Jimma University

Ethiopia | Jimma

#3266 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1983

76. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

#3306 in the World

77. Lagos State University

#13 in Nigeria

#3329 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1983

78. University of Constantine 1

Algeria | Constantine

#3347 in the World

79. Sudan University of Science and Technology

Sudan | Khartoum

#2 in Sudan

#3353 in the World

Founded: 1990

80. Kwara State University

Nigeria | Ilorin

#14 in Nigeria

#3412 in the World

Founded: 2009

81. Mount Kenya University

#6 in Kenya

#3426 in the World

Founded: 2008

82. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

#15 in Nigeria

#3428 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1975

83. Egerton University

#7 in Kenya

#3459 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1987

84. University of Malawi

#1 in Malawi

#3520 in the World

Founded: 1964

85. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

#3523 in the World

86. Minia University

#15 in Egypt

#3547 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

87. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

#18 in South Africa

#3550 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

88. University of Buea

Cameroon | Buea

#3551 in the World

Founded: 1992

89. University of Lubumbashi

DR Congo | Lubumbashi

#2 in the DR Congo

#3568 in the World

Founded: 1955

90. Bayero University Kano

#16 in Nigeria

#3574 in the World

Founded: 1975

91. Ibn Tofail University

Morocco | Kenitra

#3586 in the World

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

92. Abdelmalek Essaadi University

Morocco | Tetouan

#3588 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 36,000

93. University of Jos

#17 in Nigeria

#3598 in the World

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

94. Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

#3641 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 2007

95. Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Uganda | Mbarara

#2 in Uganda

#3663 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1989

96. University of Carthage

Tunisia | Tunis

#3681 in the World

Enrollment: 50,314

97. British University in Egypt

Egypt | El Shorouk

#16 in Egypt

#3703 in the World

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

98. Benha University

#17 in Egypt

#3707 in the World

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

99. German University in Cairo

Egypt | New Cairo

#18 in Egypt

#3718 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 2003

100. University of Antananarivo

Madagascar | Antananarivo

#1 in Madagascar

#3751 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1961