The best universities in Africa span 16 countries, from Egypt in the east to Nigeria in the west, Morocco in the north to South Africa at the southernmost tip of the continent. Four South African universities feature in the top 10 of the African university rankings in 2024, with the University of Cape Town being Africa’s top university.
The order is based on the list released by the Times Higher Education (THE) for the year 2023. According to the British magazine, which specializes in higher education worldwide, the ranking includes 1,799 universities across 104 countries and regions. But we’ve picked the best 10 universities in the continent.
Top 10 Best Universities in Africa (2024)
1. The University of Cape Town
- Country: South Africa
- Global Ranking: 160
- African Ranking: 1
The University of Cape Town is located at the foot of Table Mountain, offering spectacular views of Devil’s Peak and across the city. It was founded in 1829 and is the second oldest university in Africa, behind the University of Sierra Leone. The main campus contains teaching faculties, the main library, and some halls of residence.
The middle and lower campuses are home to student residences, sports facilities, and some academic departments. The university’s Graduate School of Business runs independently from the commerce faculty. The University of Cape Town has one of the best medical schools in South Africa.
2. Stellenbosch University
- Country: South Africa
- Global Ranking: 251–300
- African Ranking: 2
Stellenbosch University is located in South Africa’s Western Cape, 50km from Cape Town. It is split over four campuses, with the main one in Stellenbosch and the others in the nearby area. Students can complete assignments and exams in both English and Afrikaans, and the language in classes is determined by the demographic of the class.
There are 150 academic departments within 10 faculties and many other research centers. The university also has a conservatory with two concert halls, home of the South African Choir.
3. University of the Witwatersrand
- Country: South Africa
- Global Ranking: 251–300
- African Ranking: 2
The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) is a public research university based in Johannesburg. Founded as a school of mining, the school has five faculties: Commerce, Law, and Management; Engineering and the Built Environment; Health Sciences; Science; and Humanities.
The Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre trains specialists and the Disability Rights Unit ensures higher education is accessible to disabled students, caregivers, and others. It has one of the best medical schools in Africa. There are five campuses, with two joined by a walkway, home to student residences, academic departments, the Origins Centre, Planetarium, theatres, museums, and galleries.
4. University of Cape Coast
- Country: Ghana
- Global Ranking: 351–400
- African Ranking: 4
The University of Cape Coast is the only university located outside of South Africa to be featured in the top four universities in Africa. It is located in Ghana and has five colleges: health and allied sciences, distance education, humanities and legal studies, agriculture, and natural sciences, and educational studies.
5. Aswan University
- Country: Egypt
- Global Ranking: 401–500
- African Ranking: 5
Aswan University branch was established in 1974 and affiliated with Assuit University and the study was begun in it in October 1973-1974 in the faculty of Education.
6. University of Ibadan
- Country: Nigeria
- Global Ranking: 401-500
- African Ranking: 5
The University of Ibadan (UI) is a premier university in Nigeria and the second university from the western region of the continent to make the list. It was established in 1948 as a college of the University of London and attained independent status in 1962.
It has thirteen faculties and a Postgraduate School, with its undergraduate and postgraduate student populations split 50/50. UI also has a hospital, The University College Hospital (UCH), which provides research and hospital teaching to medics. It also has one of the best medical schools in Africa.
7. Ferhat Abbas Sétif University 1
- Country: Algeria
- Global Ranking: 401-500
- African Ranking: 5
Ferhat Abbas Sétif University 1 is a university in El-Bez, Algeria, founded in 1978 and attained full university status in 1989. It offers 141 degree courses, 39 research institutes, and an experimental farm, and is connected to the rest of the city by the Sétif tramway system. It ranked second in the 2018 Nature Index.
8. University of KwaZulu-Natal
- Country: South Africa
- Global Ranking: 401-500
- African Ranking: 5
The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is a teaching and research-led university in South Africa with a reputation as a leading higher education institution on the African continent. It was formed in 2004 with the merger of the University of Durban-Westville and the University of Natal.
In 2010, UKZN celebrated 100 years of higher education. Research activities span the natural, biomedical, humanities, and social sciences, and the University has a proud and rich heritage of academic excellence.
9. University of Lagos
- Country: Nigeria
- Global Ranking: 401-500
- African Ranking: 5
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is a public research institution located in Lagos, Nigeria. It was established in 1962 and is made up of three campuses. It has 12 faculties and 12 institutes and colleges, including the College of Medicine, the Institute of Maritime Studies, the UNILAG Business School, and the International School. UNILAG also has a range of research institutions, including the Centre for Housing Studies.
10 Cairo University
- Country: Egypt
- Global Ranking: 501-600
- African Ranking: 6
Cairo University was established in 1908 and is ranked 6th in Africa and #521-530 in the Global World Ranking. It is Giza’s largest university, with 45 thousand students enrolled and an official affiliation with the Islamic religion. Cairo University completes the list of the top 10 best universities in Africa in 2024, according to THE.
