Full List Of 10 Best Universities in Africa According to the Latest 2026 Ranking
- South Africa and Egypt dominate the top ten universities in Africa according to U.S. News & World Report rankings
- The University of Ibadan is Nigeria's only representative, ranking fourth in Africa and 264th globally
- Nine out of the top ten African universities are located in South Africa and Egypt, showcasing regional academic strength
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering basic and tertiary education in Nigeria and worldwide
United States - South Africa and Egypt have dominated the list of the top ten universities on the African continent.
This is according to the 2026-2027 Best Global Universities rankings by the U.S. News & World Report.
Source: UGC
The universities were assessed based on academic research performance, global reputation, and regional reputation.
The 2026-2027 Best Global Universities rankings compare institutions worldwide.
It also serve as a benchmark for students, researchers, and policymakers evaluating higher education quality across countries
According to the ranking, South Africa has four while Egypt has five in the top universities in Africa.
As reported by Business Insider Africa, both countries account for nine of the top 10 universities in the continent.
Nigeria's University of Ibadan, Oyo State is the only Nigerian and West Africa's highest-ranked university.
Top 10 universities in Africa
- University of Cape Town
The South African universoty is ranked numbder in Africa and 122 globally Cairo University.
This Egyptian university occupies the second spot in Africa and 221 in the world.
- University of the Witwatersrand.
This is another South African university, third in Africa and 240 in the world.
- University of Ibadan.
The only Nigerian institution in the continent's top 10, placing fourth in Africa and 264th globally.
- Mansoura University.
This is the second Egyptian university on the list, 5th in Africa and 267 globally
- Al-Azhar University .
Another Egypitan university, ranked 6th in Africa and 279 in the world.
- University of Johannesburg.
The second South African university on the list, 7th in Africa and 281 globally.
- Ain Shams University.
The 8th ranked university in Africa and 290 globally is located in Egypt
- Stellenbosch University.
The 3rd South African university on the list, 9th in Africa and 299 in the world
- Alexandria University.
This universoty compltes the list and it is ranked 304 globally.
Source: Getty Images
7 best universities in Nigeria
Recall that university rankings are essential for evaluating higher education competitiveness throughout the world.
The University of Ibadan (UI) in Oyo state, southwest Nigeria, stands out as the country's top institution in global rankings.
Federal institutions overwhelmingly dominated Nigeria's representation in the latest U.S. News' global universities ranking.
5 Nigerian universities make CWUR 2026 list
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR) released its 2026 Global 2000 list of top universities.
According to CWUR, 21,291 institutions were evaluated, with only the highest-performing universities making it into the Global 2000 list.
In the rankings, five Nigerian universities are featured among the 2,000 top tertiary institutions worldwide.
Source: Legit.ng
