Top 11 Ranking Universities In West Africa 2024

There are over a thousand universities in West Africa, and it might interest you to find out the top-ranking universities in the West Africa region.

According to data obtained from the Times Higher Education 2024 ranking, we’ll show you the 11 best universities in West Africa.

The ranking rates university performance using 13 different indicators measuring teaching, research, research impact, innovation, and international outlook. In case you’re contemplating enrolling in a university in West Africa, here are the top-ranked universities you should consider.

Top Ranking Universities In West Africa

Below is the list of the top 11 best-ranking universities in West Africa. According to the list, Nigeria tops the ranking with 10 universities, and Ghana with 1 university.

1. University of Cape Coast

The University of Cape Coast is ranked the best university in West Africa and the fourth best in Africa according to THE rankings 2023.

The university is located in Cape Coast with two campuses; Southern and Northern Campus. There are four colleges at the university: the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, College of Education Studies, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, and the College of Health and Allied Sciences.

The School of Graduate Studies is home to around 7,500 students studying at graduate level. The school is known for its innovative teaching and research and academic excellence

2. University of Ibadan

The University of Ibadan is located in Ibadan, the famous and populous capital of Oyo State, Nigeria. The University of Ibadan is the first and best public university in Nigeria. It is also one of the largest Nigerian universities in terms of landmass and population. Besides being one of the best and most competitive Southwestern universities, the University of Ibadan is highly regarded for its impressive academic standards.

The University of Ibadan began with just three departments – science, medicine and the arts – but has since expanded to take in 13 faculties, including social sciences, agriculture and forestry, education, technology, law and dentistry.

3. University of Lagos

The University of Lagos is located in the commercial capital of Nigeria. It was established in 1962 by the federal government and is popularly known as UNILAG. The University of Ghana is the 6th best university in West Africa.

The University of Lagos is one of the most populous universities in Nigeria. In the aspect of enrolment, the university enrolls nearly 10,000 candidates per year

4. Covenant University

Covenant University, is one of the best and most ranking universities in West Africa. The University is a private Pentecostal Christian university located in Ota, Nigeria. Covenant University of the fastest-growing university in the West Africa region.

It has four colleges, mostly dedicated to vocational studies: the College of Business and Social Sciences; the College of Leadership and Development Studies; the College of Engineering; and the College of Science and Technology.

Covenant is affiliated with the Living Faith Church Worldwide and is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Association of African Universities and the National Universities Commission.

5. University of Benin

The University of Benin is located in the city of Benin in Edo state. It was established as an Institute of Technology in 1970, became a university in 1971, took its current name in 1972 and became a federal institution in 1975.

Students study across two campuses, the Ekehuen campus and the main Ugbowo site. The university has the University of Benin Teaching Hospital with a range of facilities and medical fields.

There is also the John Harris Library located on the Ugbowo campus. There is also a library for each faculty.

6. University of Ilorin

The University of Ilorin (Unilorin) is located in the city of Ilorin, the state capital of Kwara State in Western Nigeria.

Originally a small university offering just a few subjects, Unilorin now has over 48,000 undergraduate and over 5,000 postgraduate students studying 90 academic programmes across 15 different faculties.

Subjects on offer include: agriculture, clinical sciences, medical sciences, law, education, engineering and technology, physical sciences, arts, pharmaceutical science, social sciences, veterinary medicine and management sciences.

7. University of Nigeria Nsukka

The University of Nigeria Nsukka sits at 8th among the top-ranking universities in West Africa.

Research activity is undertaken across the institution in the areas of African studies, education, developmental studies and herbal medicine and drugs research and development. There are also centres established to explore climate change, space science and energy research.

8. Obafemi Awolowo University

Obafemi Awolowo University is located in the ancient city of Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Popularly known as OAU, the University was established in 1962 and is the 5th most ranking university in West Africa.

As part of the prestigious universities owned and financed by the Nigerian government, OAU makes provisions for candidates to enroll for post-graduate and undergraduate programmes. Meanwhile, these programmes are offered in various fields of study including medical sciences, the arts, engineering, social sciences, natural sciences, the humanities and so forth.

9. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta is one of the three federal universities of agriculture created by Nigeria’s government in 1988. It moved to its present location, a 10,000 hectare site 10 miles outside of the city of Abeokuta, capital of Ogun state, in 1997.

It is divided into colleges of environmental research management, animal science and livestock production, agricultural management and rural development, plant science and crop production, biological science, food science and human ecology, engineering, physical science, and veterinary medicine.

The Veterinary School was created in 2005 on the Isale-Igbein mini-campus to enable local access, and was extended by the opening of the veterinary hospital in 2014. There are plans for two more rural satellite veterinary clinics.

10. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology

Ladoke Akintola University of Technology was originally established in 1990 as Oyo State University of Technology, Ogbomoso (OSUTECH). It was renamed just one year later. The university is located in Ogbomoso, a city in Oyo State, southwestern Nigeria.

There are 12 faculties at the university: agricultural sciences, basic medical sciences, basic clinical sciences, clinical sciences, nursing sciences, computing and informatics, environmental sciences, engineering and technology, food and consumer sciences, pure and applied science, management sciences, and renewable natural resources. Each faculty is divided into different departments, which offer a range of both undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.

The university operates across two campuses: the Main Campus which is situated in Ogbomoso and the newly established campus, located in the city of Iseyin, which houses the faculty of agriculture and renewable natural resources.

11. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

Nnamdi Azikiwe University is located in Akwa, the capital city of Anambra State, Nigeria. Established in 1991, the university has multiple campuses in Awka, Nnewi, Agulu and Ifite-Ogwuari in Ayamelum local government area.

As a federal university, it is accredited by the National Universities Commission and named after Nnamdi Azikiwe, a renowned Nigerian statesman and political leader who served as the first President of Nigeria until 1966.

The university has a total of 57 departments spread across14 faculties including the faculties of agriculture, arts, basic medical sciences, biosciences, education, engineering, environmental sciences, health sciences and technology, law, management sciences, medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, physical sciences and social sciences.

There are also a number of research centres at the university including the centre for oncology research, the centre for sustainable development and the centre for water resource research.