Top 10 Countries with Highest Number of Universities in Africa.

In Africa, there are many universities and colleges of learning that are universally reckoned with across all borders of the world. It is even recorded that the first university in the world was first established in Africa, precisely in 895 CE in Fez, which is today’s Morocco. Ever since that first establishment, a number of other universities have been built as civilization spreads around the continent like wildfire. Thus, many African countries are now proud of the highest number of universities in Africa.

University education is undoubtedly the highest in the learning process; it is a critical component of human development worldwide. It provides not only the high-level skills necessary for every labor market but also the training essential for needed professionals necessary for the economic and infrastructural development of any society.

An educated society is the only successful society in today’s world, with consideration to the convergent impacts of globalization, the increasing importance of knowledge as a primary driver of growth, and the information and communication revolution. Knowledge accumulation and application have become significant factors in economic development and are increasingly at the core of a country’s competitive advantage in the global economy. Let us therefore have a look at the number of African countries with the highest number of universities in Africa.

Top 10 Countries with Highest Number of Universities in Africa.

It is to be accepted that if education thrives in a society, such society certainly thrives too in many ways where development and growth should be the major goal and expectation. Most importantly, the presence of quality universal education in a country determines the possibility of such country’s economic success. It is well known that people who are scholars, as well as the higher education institutions that foster and harbor them, have significant roles to play in the development of a society.

Here, you have the list of the top 10 countries with highest number of universities in Africa arranged according to the number of universities each country has:

  • Nigeria

Nigeria is the country with highest number of universities in Africa. It has precisely a total number of 170 operating universities–first of which is the university of Ibadan, regardless of the number of world-class private universities.

  • South Africa

The country being one of the top 10 countries with highest number of universities in Africa is currently proud of over 136 universities and this includes private and all types of universities.

  • Ethiopia

Ethiopia has a complete number of 134 universities and it is third of the top 10 countries with highest number of universities in Africa.

  • Kenya

As of 2020, Kenya counted 64 universities, increasing from 61 in 2017. Compared to 2013, the number of higher education institutions increased by over 20 percent. In the 2020/2021 academic year, Kenya had approximately 547 thousand students pursuing a university degree.

  • Democratic Republic of Congo

This country is also one of the top 10 countries with highest number of universities in Africa with over 60 universities to its number of academies.

  • Sudan

Sudan has 36 public universities and higher education institutes, and 19 private, national and foreign universities along with 52 faculties, academies and institutes. All 55 universities in Sudan.

  • Uganda
There are about 11 Public Universities in Uganda. Uganda also have accredited Private Universities, Colleges, Military Training Institutions, and Health Institution. All total 46, making it one of the top 10 countries with highest number of universities in Africa.
  • Tanzania

The country has 43 universities. Universities and University Colleges are regulated by the Tanzania Commission for Universities.

  • Egypt

Egypt currently has 20 public universities (with about two million students) and 23 private universities (60,000 students). It is one of the top 10 countries with highest number of universities in Africa.

  • Algeria

The nation of Algeria has over 65 institutions of higher education, including 26 universities apart from the private ones . These diverse options include law schools, technical institutes, and medical schools. With the private universities, the number of universities make it 39.

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