Best Public Health Schools 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 Public Health. A graph of 6.38M citations received by 319K academic papers made by 331 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 Flag

South Africa | Cape Town

For Public Health

#1 in South Africa

#103 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Public Health

#2 in South Africa

#146 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

3. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Durban

For Public Health

#3 in South Africa

#186 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

4. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Public Health

#4 in South Africa

#196 in the World

Founded: 1918

5. University of Pretoria

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Health

#5 in South Africa

#247 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

6. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Public Health

#1 in Uganda

#258 in the World

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

7. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Public Health

#293 in the World

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

8. University of Ghana

For Public Health

#1 in Ghana

#328 in the World

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

9. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Public Health

#336 in the World

Founded: 1950

10. University of Gondar

Ethiopia | Gondar

For Public Health

#347 in the World

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

11. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Public Health

#1 in Kenya

#421 in the World

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

12. Cairo University

For Public Health

#1 in Egypt

#459 in the World

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

13. Jimma University

Ethiopia | Jimma

For Public Health

#473 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1983

14. Obafemi Awolowo University

For Public Health

#525 in the World

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

15. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Public Health

#532 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

16. North-West University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Public Health

#6 in South Africa

#558 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 2004

17. Ain Shams University

For Public Health

#2 in Egypt

#560 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

18. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

For Public Health

#2 in Ghana

#573 in the World

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

19. University of the Western Cape

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Bellville

For Public Health

#7 in South Africa

#594 in the World

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

20. University of South Africa

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Health

#8 in South Africa

#611 in the World

Enrollment: 420,000
Founded: 1873

21. University of the Free State

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Public Health

#9 in South Africa

#636 in the World

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

22. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Public Health

#638 in the World

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

23. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

For Public Health

#643 in the World

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

24. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

For Public Health

#3 in Egypt

#665 in the World

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

25. University of Malawi

For Public Health

#1 in Malawi

#688 in the World

Founded: 1964

26. Mekelle University

Ethiopia | Mekelle

For Public Health

#704 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Founded: 1991

27. University of Zambia

Zambia | Lusaka

For Public Health

#1 in Zambia

#710 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1965

28. University of Johannesburg

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Public Health

#10 in South Africa

#722 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

29. Bahir Dar University

Ethiopia | Bahir Dar

For Public Health

#728 in the World

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

30. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

For Public Health

#3 in Ghana

#765 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

31. University of Limpopo

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Mankweng

For Public Health

#11 in South Africa

#772 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

32. Haramaya University

Ethiopia | Haramaya

For Public Health

#784 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1954

33. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

For Public Health

#4 in Egypt

#792 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

34. Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Public Health

#810 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 2007

35. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Kenya | Nairobi

For Public Health

#2 in Kenya

#823 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1994

36. Assiut University

For Public Health

#5 in Egypt

#830 in the World

Founded: 1957

37. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Public Health

#866 in the World

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

38. Hawassa University

Ethiopia | Awasa

For Public Health

#867 in the World

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

39. Kenyatta University

Kenya | Nairobi

For Public Health

#3 in Kenya

#895 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1985

40. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Public Health

#912 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

41. Rhodes University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Makhanda

For Public Health

#12 in South Africa

#921 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

42. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Public Health

#923 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

43. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

For Public Health

#933 in the World

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

44. Moi University

Kenya | Eldoret

For Public Health

#4 in Kenya

#951 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Founded: 1984

45. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

For Public Health

#969 in the World

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

46. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Public Health

#990 in the World

Founded: 1964

47. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Public Health

#10 in Nigeria

#1004 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

48. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

For Public Health

#6 in Egypt

#1048 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

49. Cheikh Anta Diop University

Senegal | Dakar

For Public Health

#1061 in the World

Founded: 1918

50. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Public Health

#13 in South Africa

#1083 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

51. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

For Public Health

#1 in Sudan

#1085 in the World

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

52. Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Uganda | Mbarara

For Public Health

#2 in Uganda

#1099 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1989

53. University for Development Studies

For Public Health

#4 in Ghana

#1116 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1992

54. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

For Public Health

#1152 in the World

55. Arba Minch University

Ethiopia | Arba Minch

For Public Health

#1165 in the World

Enrollment: 37,433
Founded: 1986

56. Bayero University Kano

For Public Health

#11 in Nigeria

#1169 in the World

Enrollment: 45,810
Founded: 1975

57. University of Buea

Cameroon | Buea

For Public Health

#1189 in the World

Founded: 1992

58. Suez Canal University

Egypt | Ismailia

For Public Health

#7 in Egypt

#1202 in the World

Enrollment: 40,317
Founded: 1976

59. University of Fort Hare

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Alice

For Public Health

#14 in South Africa

#1206 in the World

Enrollment: 11,074
Founded: 1916

60. University of Health and Allied Sciences

For Public Health

#5 in Ghana

#1210 in the World

Founded: 2011

61. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

Nigeria | Abeokuta

For Public Health

#12 in Nigeria

#1217 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Founded: 1988

62. University of Kinshasa

DR Congo | Kinshasa

For Public Health

#1 in the DR Congo

#1220 in the World

Founded: 1954

63. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Public Health

#1241 in the World

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

64. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

For Public Health

#1248 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%

65. Debre Markos University

Ethiopia | Debre Markos

For Public Health

#1249 in the World

Founded: 2005

66. Tanta University

For Public Health

#8 in Egypt

#1254 in the World

Founded: 1972

67. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

For Public Health

#1272 in the World

68. Al-Azhar University

For Public Health

#9 in Egypt

#1273 in the World

Founded: 1961

69. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

For Public Health

#10 in Egypt

#1277 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

70. University of Venda

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Public Health

#15 in South Africa

#1281 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

71. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti

Nigeria | Ado Ekiti

For Public Health

#13 in Nigeria

#1318 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1982

72. University of Abomey-Calavi

Benin | Abomey-Calavi

For Public Health

#1 in Benin

#1326 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1970

73. Covenant University

For Public Health

#14 in Nigeria

#1332 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

74. University of Yaounde I

Cameroon | Yaounde

For Public Health

#1339 in the World

Founded: 1962

75. University of Maiduguri

Nigeria | Maiduguri

For Public Health

#15 in Nigeria

#1341 in the World

Enrollment: 52,000
Founded: 1975

76. University of Jos

For Public Health

#16 in Nigeria

#1354 in the World

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

77. Lagos State University

For Public Health

#17 in Nigeria

#1355 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1983

78. Eduardo Mondlane University

Mozambique Flag

Mozambique | Maputo

For Public Health

#1 in Mozambique

#1366 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1962

79. Federal University of Technology, Akure

Nigeria | Akure

For Public Health

#18 in Nigeria

#1376 in the World

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

80. Sokoine University of Agriculture

Tanzania | Morogoro

For Public Health

#1388 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1984

81. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Health

#16 in South Africa

#1406 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

82. Minia University

For Public Health

#11 in Egypt

#1416 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

83. Wollega University

Ethiopia | Nekemte

For Public Health

#10 in Ethiopia

#1434 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2007

84. University of Sfax

For Public Health

#1462 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%

85. Ebonyi State University

Nigeria | Abakaliki

For Public Health

#19 in Nigeria

#1463 in the World

Founded: 2000

86. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology

Nigeria | Ogbomoso

For Public Health

#20 in Nigeria

#1466 in the World

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

87. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

For Public Health

#1511 in the World

88. Rivers State University

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Public Health

#21 in Nigeria

#1512 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1980

89. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

For Public Health

#1520 in the World

90. Benha University

For Public Health

#12 in Egypt

#1525 in the World

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

91. Durban University of Technology

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Durban

For Public Health

#17 in South Africa

#1544 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 2002

92. University of Mauritius

Mauritius | Reduit

For Public Health

#1 in Mauritius

#1548 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1965

93. Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Health

#18 in South Africa

#1550 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 2014

94. Mizan Tepi University

Ethiopia | Mizan

For Public Health

#11 in Ethiopia

#1551 in the World

Founded: 2006

95. Olabisi Onabanjo University

Nigeria | Ago Iwoye

For Public Health

#22 in Nigeria

#1562 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Founded: 1982

96. Debre Berhan University

Ethiopia | Debre Berhan

For Public Health

#12 in Ethiopia

#1570 in the World

Founded: 2007

97. University of Ouagadougou

Burkina Faso Flag

Burkina Faso | Ouagadougou

For Public Health

#1 in Burkina Faso

#1571 in the World

Enrollment: 44,860
Founded: 1974

98. University of Uyo

For Public Health

#23 in Nigeria

#1586 in the World

Founded: 1991

99. Usmanu Danfodio University

Nigeria | Sokoto

For Public Health

#24 in Nigeria

#1588 in the World

Founded: 1975

100. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

For Public Health

#1594 in the World

Medicine subfields in Africa

Anatomy and Physiology219

Anesthesiology146

Bioethics/Medical Ethics50

Biomedical Engineering33

Clinical Psychology154

Critical Care Nursing127

Epidemiology123

Family medicine226

Forensic Science53

Gastroenterology and Hepatology161

Health Science226

Healthcare Management (MHA)201

Medical Physics27

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN)188

Occupational Therapy28

Oncology and Cancer research187

Ophthalmology73

Paramedicine and Emergency medicine146

Pharmacology219

Physical Therapy157

Plastic Surgery30

Radiation Therapy59

Radiology and Nuclear medicine233

Respiratory Therapy31

Sonography and Ultrasound31

Sports / Exercise science29

Sports Medicine70