Best Surgeons Medical Schools in Africa

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Africa ranked based on their research performance in Surgery. A graph of 4.01M citations received by 293K academic papers made by 271 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. Cairo University

For Surgery

#1 in Egypt

#197 in the World

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

2. University of Cape Town

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Cape Town

For Surgery

#1 in South Africa

#224 in the World

Founded: 1874

3. Ain Shams University

For Surgery

#2 in Egypt

#295 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

4. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

For Surgery

#3 in Egypt

#315 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

5. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Surgery

#2 in South Africa

#316 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

6. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

For Surgery

#4 in Egypt

#372 in the World

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

7. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Surgery

#3 in South Africa

#398 in the World

Founded: 1918

8. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Durban

For Surgery

#4 in South Africa

#459 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

9. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

For Surgery

#5 in Egypt

#515 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

10. Assiut University

For Surgery

#6 in Egypt

#528 in the World

Founded: 1957

11. Al-Azhar University

For Surgery

#7 in Egypt

#543 in the World

Founded: 1961

12. University of Pretoria

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Surgery

#5 in South Africa

#569 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

13. Tanta University

For Surgery

#8 in Egypt

#572 in the World

Founded: 1972

14. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

For Surgery

#9 in Egypt

#645 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

15. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

For Surgery

#657 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%

16. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Surgery

#1 in Uganda

#756 in the World

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

17. Suez Canal University

Egypt | Ismailia

For Surgery

#10 in Egypt

#758 in the World

Enrollment: 40,317
Founded: 1976

18. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Surgery

#763 in the World

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

19. Benha University

For Surgery

#11 in Egypt

#766 in the World

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

20. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Surgery

#768 in the World

Founded: 1950

21. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Surgery

#1 in Kenya

#819 in the World

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

22. Minia University

For Surgery

#12 in Egypt

#824 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

23. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

For Surgery

#846 in the World

24. University of Gondar

Ethiopia | Gondar

For Surgery

#914 in the World

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

25. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

For Surgery

#1 in Sudan

#922 in the World

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

26. Obafemi Awolowo University

For Surgery

#943 in the World

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

27. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Surgery

#953 in the World

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

28. University of Ghana

For Surgery

#1 in Ghana

#960 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1948

29. Sohag university

Egypt | Nasser City

For Surgery

#13 in Egypt

#981 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 2006

30. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

For Surgery

#1005 in the World

31. Beni-Suef University

Egypt | Beni Suef

For Surgery

#14 in Egypt

#1057 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Founded: 2005

32. University of the Free State

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Surgery

#6 in South Africa

#1065 in the World

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

33. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

For Surgery

#1082 in the World

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

34. Jimma University

Ethiopia | Jimma

For Surgery

#1114 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1983

35. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Surgery

#1119 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

36. University of Malawi

For Surgery

#1 in Malawi

#1128 in the World

Enrollment: 10,500
Founded: 1964

37. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Surgery

#1137 in the World

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

38. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

For Surgery

#1144 in the World

39. University of Limpopo

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Mankweng

For Surgery

#7 in South Africa

#1163 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

40. Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Surgery

#1169 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 2007

41. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

For Surgery

#2 in Ghana

#1173 in the World

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

42. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Surgery

#1181 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

43. University of Sfax

For Surgery

#1183 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 33,193

44. University of the Western Cape

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Bellville

For Surgery

#8 in South Africa

#1228 in the World

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

45. University of Maiduguri

Nigeria | Maiduguri

For Surgery

#1257 in the World

Enrollment: 52,000
Founded: 1975

46. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

For Surgery

#1278 in the World

47. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

For Surgery

#1295 in the World

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

48. Bayero University Kano

For Surgery

#1297 in the World

Enrollment: 45,810
Founded: 1975

49. University of Johannesburg

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Surgery

#9 in South Africa

#1306 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

50. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

For Surgery

#1309 in the World

51. Fayoum University

For Surgery

#15 in Egypt

#1337 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Founded: 2005

52. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University

For Surgery

#1340 in the World

53. North-West University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Surgery

#10 in South Africa

#1349 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 2004

54. South Valley University - Qena

For Surgery

#16 in Egypt

#1371 in the World

Founded: 1995

55. Cheikh Anta Diop University

Senegal | Dakar

For Surgery

#1379 in the World

Enrollment: 89,589
Founded: 1918

56. University of Zambia

Zambia | Lusaka

For Surgery

#1 in Zambia

#1395 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1965

57. Helwan University

For Surgery

#17 in Egypt

#1429 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1975

58. University of Social Sciences and Management of Bamako

For Surgery

#1 in Mali

#1474 in the World

Founded: 2011

59. University of Kinshasa

DR Congo | Kinshasa

For Surgery

#1 in the DR Congo

#1500 in the World

Founded: 1954

60. Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Uganda | Mbarara

For Surgery

#2 in Uganda

#1541 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1989

61. Aswan University

For Surgery

#18 in Egypt

#1555 in the World

Enrollment: 1,898
Founded: 2012

62. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Surgery

#10 in Nigeria

#1556 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

63. Mekelle University

Ethiopia | Mekelle

For Surgery

#1567 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Enrollment: 17,030
Founded: 1991

64. Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Surgery

#11 in South Africa

#1570 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 2014

65. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Surgery

#11 in Nigeria

#1580 in the World

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

66. Hawassa University

Ethiopia | Awasa

For Surgery

#1582 in the World

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

67. Moi University

Kenya | Eldoret

For Surgery

#2 in Kenya

#1597 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Founded: 1984

68. Bahir Dar University

Ethiopia | Bahir Dar

For Surgery

#1608 in the World

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

69. University of Sousse

Tunisia | Sousse

For Surgery

#1658 in the World

Enrollment: 19,311

70. University of Fort Hare

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Alice

For Surgery

#12 in South Africa

#1685 in the World

Enrollment: 11,074
Founded: 1916

71. University of Buea

Cameroon | Buea

For Surgery

#1705 in the World

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1992

72. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

For Surgery

#12 in Nigeria

#1709 in the World

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

73. Kafrelsheikh University

Egypt | Kafr El Sheikh

For Surgery

#19 in Egypt

#1716 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 2006

74. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

For Surgery

#3 in Ghana

#1722 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

75. Haramaya University

Ethiopia | Haramaya

For Surgery

#1737 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1954

76. University of Douala

Cameroon | Douala

For Surgery

#1746 in the World

Founded: 1977

77. University of Benghazi

Libya | Benghazi

For Surgery

#1 in Libya

#1761 in the World

Founded: 1955

78. Debre Markos University

Ethiopia | Debre Markos

For Surgery

#1832 in the World

Founded: 2005

79. University of Tripoli - Libya

Libya | Tripoli

For Surgery

#2 in Libya

#1840 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Founded: 1957

80. Lagos State University

For Surgery

#13 in Nigeria

#1841 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1983

81. Usmanu Danfodio University

Nigeria | Sokoto

For Surgery

#14 in Nigeria

#1844 in the World

Founded: 1975

82. University of Jos

For Surgery

#15 in Nigeria

#1854 in the World

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

83. University of Health and Allied Sciences

For Surgery

#4 in Ghana

#1867 in the World

Founded: 2011

84. University of South Africa

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Surgery

#13 in South Africa

#1909 in the World

Enrollment: 420,000
Founded: 1873

85. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti

Nigeria | Ado Ekiti

For Surgery

#16 in Nigeria

#1926 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1982

86. Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences

Tanzania | Mwanza

For Surgery

#1936 in the World

Founded: 1994

87. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology

Nigeria | Ogbomoso

For Surgery

#17 in Nigeria

#1949 in the World

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

88. University of Yaounde I

Cameroon | Yaounde

For Surgery

#1991 in the World

Founded: 1962

89. Olabisi Onabanjo University

Nigeria | Ago Iwoye

For Surgery

#18 in Nigeria

#2010 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Founded: 1982

90. Port Said University

Egypt | Port Said

For Surgery

#20 in Egypt

#2014 in the World

Founded: 2010

91. University of Blida 1

Algeria | Blida

For Surgery

#2039 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%

92. Manouba University

Tunisia | Manouba

For Surgery

#2040 in the World

Enrollment: 17,040

93. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Surgery

#1 in Botswana

#2044 in the World

Founded: 1964

94. University of Lome

For Surgery

#1 in Togo

#2048 in the World

Founded: 1970

95. Damanhour University

Egypt | Damanhur

For Surgery

#21 in Egypt

#2079 in the World

Founded: 2010

96. Walter Sisulu University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Mthatha

For Surgery

#14 in South Africa

#2107 in the World

Founded: 2005

97. Misr University for Science and Technology

Egypt | 6th of October City

For Surgery

#22 in Egypt

#2113 in the World

Founded: 1996

98. Felix Houphouet-Boigny University

Ivory Coast Flag

Ivory Coast | Abidjan

For Surgery

#1 in Ivory Coast

#2162 in the World

Enrollment: 60,189
Founded: 1964

99. Ebonyi State University

Nigeria | Abakaliki

For Surgery

#19 in Nigeria

#2184 in the World

Founded: 2000

100. Damietta University

Egypt | Damietta

For Surgery

#23 in Egypt

#2224 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 2012

Medicine subfields in Africa

Anatomy and Physiology227

Anesthesiology148

Bioethics/Medical Ethics51

Biomedical Engineering36

Clinical Psychology156

Critical Care Nursing139

Epidemiology126

Family medicine231

Forensic Science55

Gastroenterology and Hepatology163

Health Science235

Healthcare Management (MHA)208

Medical Physics28

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN)191

Occupational Therapy32

Oncology and Cancer research193

Ophthalmology75

Paramedicine and Emergency medicine151

Pharmacology222

Physical Therapy161

Plastic Surgery33

Public Health334

Radiation Therapy61

Radiology and Nuclear medicine235

Respiratory Therapy33

Sonography and Ultrasound33

Sports / Exercise science31

Sports Medicine74