Nigeria has emerged as Sub-Saharan Africa’s top performer in higher education representation, with 24 universities listed in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, surpassing South Africa, which has 13 institutions on the list.
According to the Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa Insights 2026 report released on Thursday, the region now boasts a record 55 universities from 14 countries featured in the global rankings — a major leap from just 10 institutions less than a decade ago.
The report described the development as a “moment of celebration” for African higher education, noting improvements not only in the number of universities represented but also in their global standing and research performance.
While Nigeria led in representation, South Africa maintained dominance in overall performance, with four universities ranked among the world’s top 500. The University of Cape Town retained its position as Africa’s highest-ranked institution, climbing to 164th globally, its best ranking ever. The University of Johannesburg broke into the top 400 for the first time, while the University of Pretoria re-entered the 501–600 bracket after several years.
In Nigeria, both the University of Ibadan (UI) and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) made their debut in the world’s top 1,000 universities, marking a major milestone for the nation’s tertiary education system. Other Nigerian universities, including Bayero University, Covenant University, and Landmark University, were ranked in the 1001–1200 range.
Across the region, Ghana’s University of Cape Coast and Uganda’s Makerere University also featured in the 801–1000 band, reflecting steady academic progress in West and East Africa. Meanwhile, Senegal entered the rankings for the first time through Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, signaling growth in Francophone Africa’s academic sector.
Data from THE shows consistent regional growth: from 12 universities in 2017, the number rose to 18 in 2020, 25 in 2022, 43 in 2024, and now 55 in 2026 — the highest ever.
THE’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, Phil Baty, lauded the development, saying:
“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.”
Top 10 Sub-Saharan African Universities (2026 THE Rankings)
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University of Cape Town (=164 globally)
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Stellenbosch University (301–350)
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University of the Witwatersrand (301–350)
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University of Johannesburg (351–400)
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University of KwaZulu-Natal (501–600)
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University of Pretoria (501–600)
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University of the Western Cape (601–800)
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Makerere University (801–1,000)
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University of Cape Coast (801–1,000)
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University of Ibadan / University of Lagos (801–1,000)
The report also observed shifts in global academic trends, noting that while leading Asian institutions like Tsinghua University and the National University of Singapore are slowing in growth, many Western universities are struggling with funding cuts and political pressures.
These changes, THE said, present “a new opportunity for Africa” to strengthen its global academic footprint through research excellence, innovation, and strategic partnerships.
