Top 50 Universities in Africa (2026)
Considering universities across Africa? Here are 50 institutions. Explore rankings, costs, and selectivity to narrow your options. These universities consistently perform well across key academic indicators.
How to use filters?
Select degree → Department → subject → continent → State → country → city. Each step unlocks the next option. Your selections are remembered for easier browsing.
Degree Level
Bachelor, Master, PhD
Subject Area
Science, Business, Arts
Location
Worldwide destinations
1
Cape Town, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
239 World
1 Africa
1
South Africa
1 Cape Town
University Information
Acceptance
51%*
Publications
95695
Citations
2920600
2
Johannesburg, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
392 World
2 Africa
2
South Africa
1 Johannesburg
University Information
Acceptance
34%
Publications
83673
Citations
2021576
3
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
422 World
3 Africa
3
South Africa
71 Stellenbosch
University Information
Acceptance
52%*
Publications
69594
Citations
1618799
4
Pretoria, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
430 World
4 Africa
4
South Africa
1 Pretoria
University Information
Acceptance
57%*
Publications
74475
Citations
1326679
5
Giza, Egypt
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
519 World
5 Africa
1
Egypt
1 Giza
University Information
Acceptance
90%
Publications
99760
Citations
1391000
6
Durban, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
610 World
6 Africa
5
South Africa
1 Durban
University Information
Acceptance
63%
Publications
66518
Citations
1453103
7
Kampala, Uganda
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
798 World
7 Africa
1
Uganda
1 Kampala
University Information
Acceptance
50%
Publications
27217
Citations
619032
8
Nairobi, Kenya
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
805 World
8 Africa
1
Kenya
1 Nairobi
University Information
Acceptance
66%
Publications
21723
Citations
364314
9
Johannesburg, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
808 World
9 Africa
6
South Africa
2 Johannesburg
University Information
Acceptance
60%*
Publications
46881
Citations
729348
10
Pretoria, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
875 World
10 Africa
7
South Africa
2 Pretoria
University Information
Acceptance
64%*
Publications
37559
Citations
408632
11
Legon, Ghana
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
932 World
11 Africa
1
Ghana
220 Legon
University Information
Acceptance
18%
Publications
25331
Citations
424452
12
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
952 World
12 Africa
8
South Africa
110 Potchefstroom
University Information
Acceptance
83%
Publications
35148
Citations
589918
13
Ibadan, Nigeria
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1006 World
13 Africa
1
Nigeria
1 Ibadan
University Information
Acceptance
11%
Publications
38257
Citations
526240
14
Alexandria, Egypt
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1057 World
14 Africa
2
Egypt
1 Alexandria
University Information
Acceptance
60%
Publications
51947
Citations
719694
15
Makhanda, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1070 World
15 Africa
9
South Africa
157 Makhanda
University Information
Acceptance
61%*
Publications
18207
Citations
374038
16
Cairo, Egypt
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1132 World
16 Africa
3
Egypt
1 Cairo
University Information
Acceptance
75%*
Publications
69447
Citations
770985
17
Bellville, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1137 World
17 Africa
10
South Africa
41 Bellville
University Information
Acceptance
60%
Publications
20690
Citations
425992
18
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1153 World
18 Africa
11
South Africa
1 Bloemfontein
University Information
Acceptance
25%
Publications
28297
Citations
407021
19
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1162 World
19 Africa
1
Ethiopia
1 Addis Ababa
University Information
Acceptance
64%*
Publications
25044
Citations
470147
20
Kumasi, Ghana
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1302 World
20 Africa
2
Ghana
1 Kumasi
University Information
Acceptance
54%
Publications
18691
Citations
299803
21
New Cairo, Egypt
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1310 World
21 Africa
4
Egypt
1 New Cairo
University Information
Acceptance
90%
Publications
9350
Citations
136191
22
Mansoura, Egypt
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1359 World
22 Africa
5
Egypt
1 Mansoura
University Information
Acceptance
70%
Publications
50440
Citations
718925
23
Lagos, Nigeria
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1383 World
23 Africa
2
Nigeria
1 Lagos
University Information
Acceptance
11%
Publications
19683
Citations
208465
24
Rabat, Morocco
Africa
Rankings
1447 World
24 Africa
1
Morocco
1 Rabat
University Information
Acceptance
50%
Publications
32037
Citations
359643
25
Nsukka, Nigeria
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1520 World
25 Africa
3
Nigeria
174 Nsukka
University Information
Acceptance
38%
Publications
26581
Citations
256805
26
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1614 World
26 Africa
1
Tanzania
1 Dar es Salaam
University Information
Acceptance
10%
Publications
11165
Citations
159718
27
Dakar, Senegal
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1632 World
27 Africa
1
Senegal
1 Dakar
University Information
Acceptance
68%*
Publications
12440
Citations
138453
28
Ife, Nigeria
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1658 World
28 Africa
4
Nigeria
1 Ife
University Information
Acceptance
7%
Publications
20900
Citations
251162
29
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1667 World
29 Africa
5
Nigeria
1 Port Harcourt
University Information
Acceptance
15%
Publications
13667
Citations
116528
30
Cairo, Egypt
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1693 World
30 Africa
6
Egypt
2 Cairo
University Information
Acceptance
69%*
Publications
37003
Citations
429745
31
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
1787 World
31 Africa
12
South Africa
94 Port Elizabeth
University Information
Acceptance
57%
Publications
11941
Citations
181023
32
Marrakesh, Morocco
Africa
Rankings
1999 World
32 Africa
2
Morocco
1 Marrakesh
University Information
Acceptance
59%*
Publications
17870
Citations
291214
33
Maputo, Mozambique
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2060 World
33 Africa
1
Mozambique
1 Maputo
University Information
Acceptance
20%
Publications
4531
Citations
115320
34
Lusaka, Zambia
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2119 World
34 Africa
1
Zambia
1 Lusaka
University Information
Acceptance
60%
Publications
9562
Citations
160585
35
Zaria, Nigeria
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2130 World
35 Africa
6
Nigeria
73 Zaria
University Information
Acceptance
8%
Publications
17775
Citations
192940
36
Nairobi, Kenya
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2135 World
36 Africa
2
Kenya
2 Nairobi
University Information
Acceptance
70%
Publications
8541
Citations
85581
37
Gaborone, Botswana
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2149 World
37 Africa
1
Botswana
1 Gaborone
University Information
Acceptance
61%*
Publications
11078
Citations
156139
38
Asyut, Egypt
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2206 World
38 Africa
7
Egypt
183 Asyut
University Information
Acceptance
66%*
Publications
35577
Citations
473154
39
Ota, Nigeria
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2248 World
39 Africa
7
Nigeria
1 Ota
University Information
Acceptance
89%
Publications
10198
Citations
112372
40
Cairo, Egypt
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2250 World
40 Africa
8
Egypt
3 Cairo
University Information
Acceptance
60%
Publications
19247
Citations
217419
41
Durban, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2266 World
41 Africa
13
South Africa
2 Durban
University Information
Acceptance
75%
Publications
8603
Citations
112149
42
Pretoria, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2301 World
42 Africa
14
South Africa
3 Pretoria
University Information
Acceptance
89%
Publications
11875
Citations
187112
43
Cape Town, South Africa
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2337 World
43 Africa
15
South Africa
2 Cape Town
University Information
Acceptance
91%
Publications
7274
Citations
95854
44
Harare, Zimbabwe
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2346 World
44 Africa
1
Zimbabwe
1 Harare
University Information
Acceptance
18%
Publications
12529
Citations
257511
45
Cape Coast, Ghana
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2505 World
45 Africa
3
Ghana
1 Cape Coast
University Information
Acceptance
60%
Publications
10179
Citations
117138
46
Ilorin, Nigeria
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2516 World
46 Africa
8
Nigeria
1 Ilorin
University Information
Acceptance
75%
Publications
15498
Citations
145795
47
Khartoum, Sudan
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2530 World
47 Africa
1
Sudan
1 Khartoum
University Information
Acceptance
9%
Publications
12016
Citations
175765
48
Casablanca, Morocco
Africa
Rankings
2565 World
48 Africa
3
Morocco
1 Casablanca
University Information
Acceptance
60%*
Publications
16991
Citations
236515
49
Zagazig, Egypt
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2571 World
49 Africa
9
Egypt
110 Zagazig
University Information
Acceptance
66%*
Publications
38328
Citations
491766
50
Nairobi, Kenya
Africa
Founded:
Rankings
2613 World
50 Africa
3
Kenya
3 Nairobi
University Information
Acceptance
16%
Publications
10600
Citations
86612