By Jimmy Zwane
Nigeria has emerged as the top country in Sub-Saharan Africa in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, with 24 universities featured on the list. This makes Nigeria the most represented nation in the region, surpassing South Africa, which has 13 universities included.
According to a report by Punch newspaper, the Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa Insights 2026, released on THE’s official website, highlights a record 55 universities from 14 countries in the region now appearing in the global rankings. This marks a significant increase from fewer than 10 universities a decade ago.
The report celebrates this milestone as a “moment of celebration” for African higher education, emphasizing improvements not only in the number of institutions but also in their quality and global recognition.
South Africa continues to lead in terms of performance, boasting four universities ranked among the world’s top 500. The University of Cape Town stands as Africa’s highest-ranked university at 164th globally, its best ranking to date. The University of Johannesburg also achieved a milestone by entering the global top 400 for the first time, while the University of Pretoria returned to the 501–600 band after some years.
For Nigeria, both the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos entered the top 1,000 universities worldwide for the first time. Similarly, Ghana’s University of Cape Coast and Uganda’s Makerere University were also ranked within this range, signaling progress in West and East Africa.
Other countries have also expanded their presence: Ghana now has four universities ranked, Botswana two, while Kenya and Tanzania maintain two each. Senegal made its debut in the rankings with Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, marking a significant moment for Francophone Africa.
The report illustrates the rapid growth of the region’s universities in the rankings—from just 12 universities in 2017, increasing steadily to 18 in 2020, 25 in 2022, 43 in 2024, and reaching 55 in 2026—the highest number ever recorded.
Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer at Times Higher Education, emphasized that Africa’s advancement is about more than just quantity. “We are not just seeing improvements in representation; we are seeing improvements in quality too… a great opportunity to build on the momentum and make sure Africa’s universities are ready to drive innovation and development,” he said.
The top 10 universities in Sub-Saharan Africa according to the report are:
- 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)
- University of Ibadan / University of Lagos (801–1,000)
The report also points to shifting dynamics in global higher education. While some leading Asian universities such as Tsinghua University and the National University of Singapore have slowed in growth, many institutions in the US and Europe face challenges like funding cuts and political pressures.
These global shifts present new opportunities for African universities to rise further by focusing on research, innovation, and forging strong international partnerships.
