The best universities in Sub-Saharan Africa: top five
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| SSA Rank 2024 | University | Country/region |
| 1 | University of Johannesburg | South Africa |
| 2 | University of Pretoria | South Africa |
| 3 | University of the Witwatersrand | South Africa |
| 4 | UGHE – University of Global Health Equity | Rwanda |
| 5 | University of Ghana | Ghana |
The University of Johannesburg takes first place in the Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings.
The ranking aims to shine a spotlight on the higher education institutions in this African region and to address local higher education challenges.
The top five is made up of universities from South Africa, Rwanda and Ghana.
The ranking includes 129 institutions from 22 countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Mauritius, Kenya and Mozambique.
The ranking was put together with a methodology that covers elements of teaching, impact and research. The methodology is made up of five key pillars: resources and finance; access and fairness; ethical leadership; student engagement; and Africa impact.
A key part of the data collection was a survey of more than 23,000 students from 129 institutions. Students were asked a range of questions including how challenged they felt by the teaching at the university, how much it supported critical thinking and the opportunities they had to interact with staff and peers.
Top five universities in Sub-Saharan Africa
1. University of Johannesburg, South Africa
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) takes the top spot for the first time in this year’s SSA ranking.
The university has four campuses, each with its own unique identity and history.
UJ has eight colleges and faculties – business and economics; art, design and architecture; education; engineering and the built environment; health sciences; humanities; law; and science. There is also the Johannesburg Business School.
There is a range of student services, including psychological services, disability services, career services and internships.
2. University of Pretoria, South Africa
The University of Pretoria was founded in 1908 with just four professors and 32 students. It has now expanded to become one of the largest research universities in South Africa.
There are nine faculties, encompassing economics and management sciences; education; engineering, built environment and information technology; health sciences; humanities; law; natural and agricultural sciences; theology and religion; and veterinary science. There is also the Gordon Institute of Business.
There is lots for students to do on campus, such as visiting the many museums and galleries, playing sports, joining a society or taking part in the many cultural events that are organised throughout the year.
3. University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
The University of the Witwatersrand, commonly known as “Wits”, is located in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The university has five faculties, encompassing the sciences; commerce, law and management; engineering; health sciences; and humanities.
A variety of student clubs are available at the university, including the Wits Model United Nations, the Investment Society, the Music Society and Poets Corner.
Famous alumni include Nelson Mandela, who studied law there and became president of South Africa and the 1993 Nobel laureate for peace; novelist Nadine Gordimer (Nobel Prize in Literature, 1991), Aaron Klug (Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1982) and Sydney Brenner (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2002).
4. UGHE- University of Global Health Equity, Rwanda
UGHE- University of Global Health Equity has moved up four places this year to enter the top five.
The University of Global Health Equity aims to change the way that healthcare is delivered around the world by creating leaders who are equipped in sustaining effective and equitable health systems.
The university offers three main education pathways, including two bachelor’s degrees in medicine and surgery. There is one master’s degree on offer, the MSc in global health delivery. The third pathway is a range of customised certificate courses to develop professionals working in healthcare delivery systems. Known as executive education courses, these will equip learners to return to their workplaces and deliver value-based programmes.
5. University of Ghana, Ghana
The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of Ghana’s 10 public universities.
The university is run on a collegiate system and is divided into four colleges: the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, the College of Education, the College of Health Sciences, and the College of Humanities.
The university is primarily based in the Legon suburb of Accra, Ghana’s capital, with a teaching hospital and secondary campus in Accra itself. Its medical school is located in Korle Bu, southern Ghana, with a graduate school of nuclear and allied sciences based at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (the University of Ghana is one of only a few universities in Africa that offers programmes in nuclear physics and nuclear engineering).
The best universities in Sub-Saharan Africa: top 50
Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2025 profile
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