Best Public Health Schools 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 Public Health. A graph of 3.96M citations received by 253K academic papers made by 310 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 Public Health

#1 in South Africa

#109 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Public Health

#2 in South Africa

#151 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

3. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Public Health

#3 in South Africa

#195 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

4. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Public Health

#4 in South Africa

#209 in the World

Founded: 1918

5. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Health

#5 in South Africa

#252 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

6. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Public Health

#1 in Uganda

#280 in the World

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

7. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Public Health

#363 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

8. University of Ghana

For Public Health

#1 in Ghana

#382 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

#404 in the World

Founded: 1950

10. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Public Health

#1 in Kenya

#472 in the World

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

11. University of Gondar

Ethiopia | Gondar

For Public Health

#476 in the World

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

12. Cairo University

For Public Health

#1 in Egypt

#514 in the World

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

13. Obafemi Awolowo University

For Public Health

#572 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Founded: 1962

14. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Public Health

#6 in South Africa

#581 in the World

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

15. Ain Shams University

For Public Health

#2 in Egypt

#592 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

16. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Public Health

#7 in South Africa

#607 in the World

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

17. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Public Health

#8 in South Africa

#621 in the World

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

18. Jimma University

Ethiopia | Jimma

For Public Health

#637 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1983

19. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Health

#9 in South Africa

#641 in the World

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

20. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Public Health

#653 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

21. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

For Public Health

#662 in the World

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

22. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

For Public Health

#2 in Ghana

#673 in the World

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

23. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

For Public Health

#3 in Egypt

#718 in the World

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

24. University of Malawi

For Public Health

#1 in Malawi

#722 in the World

Founded: 1964

25. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Public Health

#737 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1962

26. University of Zambia

Zambia | Lusaka

For Public Health

#1 in Zambia

#752 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1965

27. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Public Health

#10 in South Africa

#759 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

28. Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Public Health

#824 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 2007

29. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Public Health

#11 in South Africa

#829 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

30. Assiut University

For Public Health

#4 in Egypt

#864 in the World

Founded: 1957

31. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Public Health

#12 in South Africa

#876 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

32. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

For Public Health

#5 in Egypt

#893 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

33. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

For Public Health

#3 in Ghana

#913 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

34. Bahir Dar University

Ethiopia | Bahir Dar

For Public Health

#923 in the World

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

35. Mekelle University

Ethiopia | Mekelle

For Public Health

#983 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Founded: 1991

36. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Public Health

#13 in South Africa

#1026 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

37. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Public Health

#1028 in the World

Founded: 1964

38. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Kenya | Nairobi

For Public Health

#2 in Kenya

#1034 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1994

39. Haramaya University

Ethiopia | Haramaya

For Public Health

#1035 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1954

40. Moi University

Kenya | Eldoret

For Public Health

#3 in Kenya

#1055 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Founded: 1984

41. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Public Health

#1057 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

42. Kenyatta University

Kenya | Nairobi

For Public Health

#4 in Kenya

#1075 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1985

43. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Public Health

#1086 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1975

44. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

For Public Health

#1 in Sudan

#1094 in the World

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

45. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Public Health

#1098 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

46. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

For Public Health

#1120 in the World

47. Hawassa University

Ethiopia | Awasa

For Public Health

#1121 in the World

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

48. University of Abomey-Calavi

Benin | Abomey-Calavi

For Public Health

#1 in Benin

#1124 in the World

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

49. University of Yaounde I

Cameroon | Yaounde

For Public Health

#1134 in the World

Founded: 1962

50. Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Uganda | Mbarara

For Public Health

#2 in Uganda

#1135 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1989

51. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Public Health

#1154 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

52. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

For Public Health

#6 in Egypt

#1160 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

53. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

For Public Health

#1164 in the World

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

54. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Public Health

#1171 in the World

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

55. Cheikh Anta Diop University

Senegal | Dakar

For Public Health

#1172 in the World

Founded: 1918

56. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

For Public Health

#1208 in the World

57. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Public Health

#14 in South Africa

#1235 in the World

Founded: 1916

58. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

For Public Health

#1259 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 67,415

59. Suez Canal University

Egypt | Ismailia

For Public Health

#7 in Egypt

#1268 in the World

Enrollment: 40,317
Founded: 1976

60. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

For Public Health

#10 in Nigeria

#1275 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1991

61. Eduardo Mondlane University

Mozambique | Maputo

For Public Health

#1 in Mozambique

#1290 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1962

62. Al-Azhar University

For Public Health

#8 in Egypt

#1297 in the World

Founded: 1961

63. Tanta University

For Public Health

#9 in Egypt

#1299 in the World

Founded: 1972

64. University for Development Studies

For Public Health

#4 in Ghana

#1300 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1992

65. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

For Public Health

#10 in Egypt

#1311 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

66. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

Nigeria | Abeokuta

For Public Health

#11 in Nigeria

#1321 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Founded: 1988

67. Bayero University Kano

For Public Health

#12 in Nigeria

#1389 in the World

Founded: 1975

68. University of Venda

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Public Health

#15 in South Africa

#1393 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

69. University of Health and Allied Sciences

For Public Health

#5 in Ghana

#1416 in the World

Founded: 2011

70. University of Kinshasa

DR Congo | Kinshasa

For Public Health

#1 in the DR Congo

#1417 in the World

Founded: 1954

71. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Health

#16 in South Africa

#1428 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

72. Sokoine University of Agriculture

Tanzania | Morogoro

For Public Health

#1433 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1984

73. Minia University

For Public Health

#11 in Egypt

#1435 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

74. University of Buea

Cameroon | Buea

For Public Health

#1443 in the World

Founded: 1992

75. University of Sfax

For Public Health

#1464 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%

76. Covenant University

For Public Health

#13 in Nigeria

#1467 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

77. Arba Minch University

Ethiopia | Arba Minch

For Public Health

#1473 in the World

Enrollment: 37,433
Founded: 1986

78. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

For Public Health

#1474 in the World

79. University of Maiduguri

Nigeria | Maiduguri

For Public Health

#14 in Nigeria

#1489 in the World

Founded: 1975

80. Debre Markos University

Ethiopia | Debre Markos

For Public Health

#1509 in the World

Founded: 2005

81. University of Jos

For Public Health

#15 in Nigeria

#1538 in the World

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

82. University of Mauritius

Mauritius | Reduit

For Public Health

#1 in Mauritius

#1596 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1965

83. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

For Public Health

#1601 in the World

Enrollment: 99,300

84. Olabisi Onabanjo University

Nigeria | Ago Iwoye

For Public Health

#16 in Nigeria

#1605 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Founded: 1982

85. Benha University

For Public Health

#12 in Egypt

#1624 in the World

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

86. Lagos State University

For Public Health

#17 in Nigeria

#1629 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1983

87. Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Health

#17 in South Africa

#1641 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 2014

88. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Public Health

#18 in South Africa

#1643 in the World

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

89. University of Social Sciences and Management of Bamako

For Public Health

#1 in Mali

#1653 in the World

Founded: 2011

90. Ebonyi State University

Nigeria | Abakaliki

For Public Health

#18 in Nigeria

#1658 in the World

Founded: 2000

91. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

For Public Health

#1664 in the World

Enrollment: 29,703

92. University of Sousse

Tunisia | Sousse

For Public Health

#1684 in the World

93. University of Douala

Cameroon | Douala

For Public Health

#1708 in the World

Founded: 1977

94. Rivers State University

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Public Health

#19 in Nigeria

#1711 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1980

95. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti

Nigeria | Ado Ekiti

For Public Health

#20 in Nigeria

#1716 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1982

96. Federal University of Technology, Akure

Nigeria | Akure

For Public Health

#21 in Nigeria

#1750 in the World

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

97. Felix Houphouet-Boigny University

Ivory Coast | Abidjan

For Public Health

#1 in Ivory Coast

#1759 in the World

Founded: 1964

98. University of Ouagadougou

Burkina Faso | Ouagadougou

For Public Health

#1 in Burkina Faso

#1762 in the World

Founded: 1974

99. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology

Nigeria | Ogbomoso

For Public Health

#22 in Nigeria

#1767 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1990

100. Wollega University

Ethiopia | Nekemte

For Public Health

#10 in Ethiopia

#1798 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2007

Medicine subfields in Africa

Anatomy and Physiology197

Anesthesiology119

Bioethics/Medical Ethics41

Biomedical Engineering28

Clinical Psychology126

Critical Care Nursing101

Epidemiology103

Family medicine197

Forensic Science47

Gastroenterology and Hepatology139

Health Science194

Healthcare Management (MHA)178

Medical Physics24

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN)167

Occupational Therapy21

Oncology and Cancer research158

Ophthalmology63

Paramedicine and Emergency medicine123

Pharmacology202

Physical Therapy123

Plastic Surgery29

Radiation Therapy51

Radiology and Nuclear medicine213

Respiratory Therapy31

Sonography and Ultrasound26

Sports / Exercise science21

Sports Medicine60