Top 10 Best Universities in West Africa According to THE World Rankings

• Times Higher Education ranked the top 10 universities in West Africa based on teaching, research, and industry connections
• Nigerian universities dominate the list, with 7 of the 10 spots going to institutions across the country
• Two Ghanaian universities also made the cut, with the University of Cape Coast leading the West Africa rankings

Seven Nigerian universities and two Ghanaian institutions have made the latest Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, which places the best universities globally across key performance indicators.

THE evaluates institutions on teaching quality, research output, international collaboration, knowledge transfer, and industry connections before arriving at its rankings.

West Africa's top 10 list reflects strong performance from Nigeria in particular, which accounts for the majority of the region's entries.

Top West African universities

The University of Cape Coast and the University of Ghana both lead the West Africa table, each placed in the 801 to 1000 band of the THE World Rankings. Three Nigerian universities share that same band: the University of Ibadan, the University of Lagos, and Covenant University.

Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, Landmark University, and the University of Ilorin all fall within the 1001 to 1200 band, rounding out the strong Nigerian presence in the top half of the regional list. Babcock University closes out the top 10, placed in the 1201 to 1400 band.

Full West Africa top 10 list

Below is the complete ranking of the top 10 universities in West Africa according to THE:

1. University of Cape Coast — Ghana (801-1000)

2. University of Ghana — Ghana (801-1000)

3. University of Ibadan — Nigeria (801-1000)

4. University of Lagos — Nigeria (801-1000)

5. Covenant University — Nigeria (801-1000)

6. Ahmadu Bello University — Nigeria (1001-1200)

7. Bayero University — Nigeria (1001-1200)

8. Landmark University — Nigeria (1001-1200)

9. University of Ilorin — Nigeria (1001-1200)

10. Babcock University — Nigeria (1201-1400)

Nigeria's seven entries span both public and private institutions, with Covenant University, Landmark University, and Babcock University representing the private sector.

The University of Ibadan, Nigeria's oldest university, and the University of Lagos are among the country's most prominent federal institutions to feature on the list.

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