Nigeria has emerged as the most represented nation in Sub-Saharan Africa in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2026. A total of 24 Nigerian universities were featured on the prestigious list, surpassing South Africa, which had 13 institutions.
The 2026 report, titled “Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa Insights,” reveals a historic high for the region, with 55 universities from 14 countries making the global rankings. This marks a dramatic increase from just a decade ago, when only 10 universities from the region were listed. THE described this surge as a “moment of celebration,” highlighting improvements not just in quantity, but also in the quality and global visibility of African higher education.
While Nigeria leads in representation, South Africa continues to dominate in terms of top-tier performance. The University of Cape Town remains the continent’s highest-ranked institution, climbing to 164th place globally. South Africa also placed four universities within the world’s top 500, with the University of Johannesburg breaking into the top 400 for the first time.
Nigeria’s progress was highlighted by the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos, both entering the world’s top 1,000 for the first time. They were joined in that ranking band by Ghana’s University of Cape Coast and Uganda’s Makerere University, signaling steady progress across West and East Africa.
The report also noted significant milestones from other nations. Ghana now has four ranked universities, Botswana has two, and Senegal made its debut with Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, marking a new era for Francophone Africa.
The data shows a consistent and rapid expansion for Sub-Saharan Africa in the rankings, growing from 12 universities in 2017 to a record 55 in 2026.
Phil Baty, THE’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, emphasized that Africa’s progress is both quantitative and qualitative. “We are not just seeing improvements in representation; we are seeing improvements in quality too… a great opportunity to build on the momentum,” he stated.
Domestically, the University of Ibadan was ranked as Nigeria’s top university for 2026. Analysis of THE’s performance indicators showed Nigerian universities excelling in different areas: the University of Lagos led in research quality, Bayero University in international outlook, and Covenant University in industry engagement.
The report concluded that shifting dynamics in global higher education, including slowed growth for some top Asian universities and challenges facing Western institutions, present a fresh opportunity for African universities to rise further by focusing on research, innovation, and international partnerships.