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Top 10 Best Universities in Africa in 2023

If you want to study at some of the best universities in Africa, this article explores the top 10 best universities in Africa.

best universities in africa
best universities in Africa

Times Higher Education (THE) specializes in ranking higher institutions worldwide, and this order is based on the list released by the British magazine for the year 2023. The ranking includes 1,799 universities across 104 countries and regions on the continent, but we have picked the best 10 universities in Africa.  

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Top 10 Best Universities in Africa

Here is a list of the top 10 best universities in Africa and some other information you need to know about them.

University of Cape Town, South Africa

best universities in Africa
University of Cape Town

Founded in 1829, the University of Cape Town, UCT, is a public research institute in Cape Town, South Africa. It was first established as a South African College in 1918 when it was granted full university status. This university is the oldest in South Africa and doubles as the best university in Africa.

The University of Cape Town has 57 departments across six faculties offering bachelor’s and doctoral degrees. The university’s Commerce, Law, and Medicine facilities are consistently placed among the top 100 in the world. It has an acceptance rate of 51%.

The University of Cape Town is home to about 30 000 students, encompassing six different campuses in the Capetonian suburbs of Rondebosch, Hiddingh, Observatory, Mowbray, and the Waterfront.

This university is famously known for being a member of several organizations, including the Worldwide Universities Network. It has also produced five noble laureates over the years.

Related: List of Colleges of Education in Nigeria

 University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

University of the Witwatersrand
University of the Witwatersrand

The University of the Witwatersrand, popularly known as Wits University, is a multi-campus public research university in Johannesburg, South Africa. It ranks number two on the list of best universities in Africa.

Wits University was founded in 1896 as a school of mining studies. It has five faculties- Commerce, Law and Management, Engineering and the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Sciences, and Humanities- made up of 33 schools that offer 3416 courses.

It is home to about 40 699 students, running both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, and a low acceptance rate of 25%.  

The University of the Witwatersrand has produced extraordinary individuals who have made a profound impact on the world. One of these alumni is Nelson Mandela.

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Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University

Located in the heart of Western Cape, Stellenbosch, South Africa, Stellenbosch University is one of Africa’s top 10 best universities. It was founded in 1918 and was the first African university to sign the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in Sciences and Humanities. It is also one of the oldest universities in Africa.

Stellenbosch University consists of 10 faculties, made up of 150 departments. It has about 40 research institutions.

The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in a wide range of disciplines, including law, medicine, surgery, and politics, to name a few.

Stellenbosch University consistently ranks in the top 200 worldwide in law, politics, geography, forestry, theology, agriculture, and development studies.

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University of Cape Coast, Ghana

University of Cape Coast
University of Cape Coast

The University of Cape Coast is one of the largest universities in Ghana, with a student population of approximately 74 720. It is also one of the top 10 best universities in Africa.

This university is located within 500 meters of the Atlantic Ocean, making it one of the rare seafront universities in the world.

It offers several relevant undergraduate and postgraduate academic programs in five colleges; the College of Health and Allied Sciences, Distance Education, Humanities and Legal Studies, Agriculture and Natural Sciences, and Educational Studies.  

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University of KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa

University of KwaZulu- Natal
University of KwaZulu- Natal

The University of KwaZulu- Natal is a South African university that ranks number five on the list of the top 10 best universities in the world. It is in the University of KwaZulu- Natal province of South Africa. It was established in 2004 after the merger between two reputable universities; the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville.

The University of KwaZulu- Natal has several campuses, including Pinetown, Westville, Pietermaritzburg, and Durban. It has a 40 to 45 thousand student capacity and offers official degrees in various programs. It offers both postgraduate and undergraduate degrees and is friendly to international students.

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Cairo University, Egypt

Cairo university
Cairo university

Cairo University, founded in 1908, is one of the best universities in Africa. It is also known as the Egyptian University.

Cairo University is one of the oldest universities in Africa and one of the largest, with a student capacity of over 150 000, spread across 20 faculties and three institutions. The university is in the heart of Cairo, Egypt’s capital city.

Some popular undergraduate programs at Cairo University include mathematics, chemistry, microbiology, engineering, pharmacology, and toxicology. Its school of medicine was one of the earliest medical schools in an African university, while its school of law is widely recognized as one of the best globally.

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University of Johannesburg, South Africa

University of Johannesburg
University of Johannesburg

Another one of Africa’s top 10 best universities is the University of Johannesburg. It is a well-known research facility in South Africa tailored to help students advance their careers in business, engineering, health sciences, economics, and other fields of study. It is located in the Johannesburg metropolitan area of Gauteng.

The University of Johannesburg offers world-class academic programs at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It has a capacity of about 50000 students and offers various learning possibilities for various disciplines.

This university was established in 2005 due to the merger of Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), Technikon Witwatersrand (TWR), and the Soweto and East Rand campuses of Vista University.

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University of Ibadan, Nigeria

 University of Ibadan
University of Ibadan

The University of Ibadan is one of the best universities in Africa. It is not only the best university in Nigeria, it is also the first and oldest university in the country, hence why it is called Premier University. It is located in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo state, in Nigeria. 

The University of Ibadan was founded in 1948 as a college of the University of London, but it attained University status in 1963.

This university has thirteen faculties and a postgraduate school. It offers postgraduate and undergraduate degrees in various departments, including arts, medicine, and other disciplines.

This university also has a teaching hospital called the University College Hospital, one of Nigeria’s top medical research-intensive institutions.

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Mansoura University, Egypt

Mansoura University
Mansoura University

Mansoura University is located in the heart of Egypt’s Nile Delta and is ranked one of Africa’s best universities. It was established in 1972 as East Delta University before it changed its name to Mansoura University in 1973.

Mansoura University has contributed significantly to Egypt’s cultural and scientific life. It provides exceptional medical services and a wide range of major studies. It houses one of Africa’s largest urology and nephrology centres.

Mansoura University is one of the best research-focused institutions in Africa dedicated to making the world a better place.

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Addis Ababa University, Egypt

Addis Ababa University
Addis Ababa University

Established in 1950, Addis Ababa University is one of the oldest universities in Egypt. It also makes the list of the top 10 best universities in Africa.

This university has a student capacity of over 46000. It offers various undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs in different faculties, including biological engineering, humanities, social sciences, journalism and communications, business and economics, law, health sciences and veterinary medicine, and many others.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which African country has best university?

South Africa has the best universities in Africa.

Which university is the best in Africa 2023 ranking?

According to the 2023 universities rank, The University of Cape Town in South Africa is the best in Africa.

What is the second best university in Africa?

The second best University in Africa is The University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.

What is the ranking of Nigeria in education in Africa?

Nigeria is rated the 3rd best in Africa with 61 points in the educational system and ranks 74th in the global education system.

Here are the top 10 best universities in Africa in 2023 according to the most recent Times Higher Education rank. These universities deserve their place due to their reputation and the high-quality education they offer.