as Nigeria dominates Sub-Saharan Africa in 2026 varsity rankings with 24 institutions
Nigeria has emerged as the leading nation in Sub-Saharan Africa’s higher education landscape, with 24 universities featured in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
The achievement makes Nigeria the most represented country in the region, surpassing South Africa, which has 13 universities on the list.
According to the Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa Insights 2026 report, released on Thursday via THE’s website, the region now boasts a record 55 universities from 14 countries in the global rankings a sharp rise from just 10 less than a decade ago.
Describing the development as a “moment of celebration” for African higher education, the report noted that institutions across the continent are improving not only in number but also in quality and global recognition.
South Africa, however, still leads in performance, with four universities ranked among the world’s top 500. The University of Cape Town remains Africa’s highest-ranked institution, reaching 164th globally — its best-ever position.
The University of Johannesburg also recorded a major milestone by entering the global top 400 for the first time, while the University of Pretoria returned to the 501–600 range after several years.
For Nigeria, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos both broke into the world’s top 1,000 universities for the first time, marking a significant step forward for the nation’s tertiary education system.
Other countries also made notable progress. Ghana’s University of Cape Coast and Uganda’s Makerere University featured in the same global range, while Ghana expanded its representation to four universities. Botswana, Kenya, and Tanzania maintained two each, while Senegal made its debut with Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar — signalling a new phase for Francophone Africa.
The report highlighted the region’s rapid growth in global rankings: from 12 universities in 2017 to 18 in 2020, 25 in 2022, 43 in 2024, and now 55 in 2026 — the highest ever recorded.
THE’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, Phil Baty, commended the continent’s progress, emphasising that Africa’s growth extends beyond representation.
“We are not just seeing improvements in representation; we are seeing improvements in quality too. This is a great opportunity to build on the momentum and ensure Africa’s universities are ready to drive innovation and development,” he said.
The top 10 Universities in Sub-Saharan Africa (2026) include: University of Cape Town (=164 globally); Stellenbosch University (301–350); University of the Witwatersrand (301–350); University of Johannesburg (351–400); University of KwaZulu-Natal (501–600); University of Pretoria (501–600); University of the Western Cape (601–800); Makerere University (801–1,000); University of Cape Coast (801–1,000) and University of Ibadan / University of Lagos (801–1,000).
The report further observed that global higher education dynamics are shifting, with some Asian universities, including Tsinghua University and the National University of Singapore, showing slower growth, while several European and US institutions grapple with funding cuts and political challenges.
These trends, the report added, present a window of opportunity for Africa to rise further by prioritising research, innovation and global partnerships.