Makerere University, once hailed as the pride of Uganda, has been ranked 41st among the best universities in Africa, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025.
The university shares this position with 31 other institutions across the continent. The University’s rank dropped from the 13th position in 2024
Despite its placement at 41st, Makerere remains Uganda’s sole representative on the list of over 100 African universities evaluated. It is also the highest-ranked university in the East African region, ahead of Kenya’s Kenyatta University, which placed 74th. Universities from Rwanda, Tanzania, and other East African nations did not feature in the rankings.
The rankings highlight top-performing institutions from 19 African countries, spanning from Uganda in the east, to Nigeria in the west, Morocco in the north, and South Africa at the southern tip of the continent.
South Africa and Egypt dominate the top tiers, with South Africa claiming half of the top 10 spots, and 14 of its universities appearing in the full ranking. Egypt and Algeria emerged as the most represented African nations, with 35 and 26 universities, respectively.
Other countries with universities in the global top 1000 include Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Egypt—signifying growing academic competitiveness across parts of the continent.
The Times Higher Education rankings assess university performance based on 18 indicators, grouped under key areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry engagement.
The University of Cape Town was named the best university in Africa, followed by: University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco and University of Johannesburg, South Africa
This latest ranking reaffirms Makerere University’s enduring status as a center of academic excellence in the region, even as it faces increased competition from rising institutions across the continent.
