South Africa get di best universities for Africa. Na according to di latest QS World University Rankings, wey show say di country get eight out of di top 10 universities for di continent.

We go tell you di criteria wey dem use soon. But first, make we look di top universities.

Di QS 2027 rankings, released earlier in June 2026, show say University of Cape Town na Africa first university. E dey ranked 184th for di world.

Even though e still dey top for Africa, e don fall from e previous 150th position for di world.

Dem found am in 1829 as di South African College, and later di University of Cape Town become Africa oldest university in 1918. Dem sabi am for medical research and for how dem fight against apartheid; now di university mix im old history with global impact.

For di African rankings, e dey follow by University of Johannesburg, Stellenbosch University, University of Witwatersrand and University of Pretoria respectively.

For number six na American University in Cairo, Egypt, and Ain Shams University, wey still dey Egypt, dey number seven.

Di three universities wey complete top 10 still dey South Africa. Dem be University of KwaZulu-Natal at number eight, Rhodes University at number nine, while University of South Africa, UNISA, hold di tenth position.

Criteria wey dem use for ranking

You dey wonder why?

Di global survey dey use five “lenses” wey dey weigh different things.

Research and Discovery na di biggest factor, e dey count 50% of di score. This one include academic reputation and citations of work, wey dey measure research output and impact.

Employability and Outcomes make up 20% of di score, this include employer reputation and how alumni don succeed and influence.

Another factor na Learning Experience, wey account for 10%. Dis one include teaching support.

Di fourth factor na Global Engagement, wey carry 15% of di marks. Dis one involve international research networks based on cross-border co-authorship and di ratio of international students.

Sustainability na di fifth factor. E form 5% of di lens. E focus on environmental, social and governance matters, campus initiatives and research for di UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Just outside di top ten, West African universities dey make progress too. Nigeria’s University of Ibadan and University of Lagos both dey for di 1001–1200 global tier. Dem be di best for Sub-Saharan Africa outside South Africa.

According to di survey, Massachusetts Institute of Technology na number for di world.