The best University in West Africa provide students with the opportunity to access quality education while exploring its rich history and culture. These institutions also offer diverse programs at affordable costs compared to other Western institutions. Similarly, the region hosts some of the oldest and most reputable higher institutions in Africa. These includes the University of Ibadan (Nigeria), University of Ghana (Legon), Obafemi Awolowo University (Nigeria), and University of Cape Coast (Ghana).
Moreover, these institutions are known for producing graduates who excel both locally and internationally. Likewise, many West African universities have strong research facilities and partnerships with global institutions. This gives students access to international collaborations and opportunities. Thus, choosing the best university in West Africa is a gateway to personal growth and professional success.
Here, we highlight 10 best University in West Africa. We also explain their application criteria, how to apply for each of them as well as their application deadlines.
Why Study in West Africa?
Studying in West Africa comes with cultural diversity, various academic opportunities, and personal growth. The region houses some of Africa’s oldest universities and developing institutions. They provide quality education at a more affordable cost compared to Europe or North America. Likewise, some programs are taught in English, French, and sometimes indigenous languages. Thus, you can gain the advantage of multilingual exposure, making you more versatile in the global job market.
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Additionally, studying in West Africa allows you to connect with an emerging centers of innovation and entrepreneurship. The region is rich in natural resources, history, and human capital. Hence, it offers unique opportunities for research in areas such as agriculture, energy, business, and public health. You’ll also experience firsthand the resilience and creativity of societies tackling real-world challenges, giving you both practical insights and inspiration.
10 Best University in West Africa
The benefits of studying at any West African University are enormous. If you’re ready to further your education in any West African country, below are some of the best University in West Africa. Meanwhile, here is a broad list of 10 Best Universities in West Africa.
#1. University of Ghana
The University of Ghana was founded in 1948 by the British colony as the University College of Gold coast located in Accra. It was initially allied with University of London which supervised some administrative activities.
University of Ghana is known for its emphasis on arts and science-based courses across the best universities in West Africa. It was ranked 800-1000th in the globe by The Times Higher Education World University Ranking in 2018 and 7th in Africa for its quality education and research work.
Furthermore, the university of Ghana houses over 40,000 students across various faculties and a college of health science. There are six faculties namely; Arts, Social studies, Science, Law and Engineering sciences. While, the college of health science has six schools namely; Medicine and Dentistry, Biomedical and Allied Health sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health and Education and Leadership.
Application Criteria;
Application Deadline;
The application deadline varies for different degrees program. So, you can confirm the specific deadline for your desired program on the school website.
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#2. Covenant University (CU)
Covenant University is a private Christian Missionary University located in Ota, Ogun State in Nigeria. Its allied with Living Faith Church Worldwide and arguably one of the best University in West Africa.
CU has over the years shown to be a leading university in Nigeria and one of the best Universities in West Africa. It was ranked 1st in West Africa by The Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2019 and highly ranked by webometrics for its dominance on the web. All this making it one of the most sort after and one of the best universities in West Africa
Covenant University runs various academic across four colleges namely; Business and Social Sciences, Science and Technology, Engineering and Leadership Development Studies.
Application Criteria;
Application Deadline;
The application deadline for early action applicant (students who wish to receive an early, non-binding admission decision) is November 15 annually. The application deadline for regular decision is March 15 annually.
#3. University of Ibadan (UI)
The University of Ibadan was founded in 1948 by the British colony with the sole aim of delivering quality education and conducting well-grounded research work. It is located at Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria.
Typically, UI always ranked among the top 5 best universities in West Africa by webometrics for its prominence on the web. Also, it was ranked 2nd in West Africa by The Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2019 for top academic learning and research work.
University of Ibadan has twelve academic faculties namely; Arts, Sciences, Renewable Natural Resources, Social Sciences, Dentistry, Agriculture and Forestry, Education, Veterinary Medicine, Technology, Law, Public Health and Pharmacy. It also runs a College of Medicine.
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Application Criteria;
Application Deadline;
The application deadline for various academic degree programs differs yearly.
#4. University of Lagos
The University of Lagos is termed “the university of first choice and Nation’s pride”, located in Lagos, Nigeria. It was established in the year 1962. It has proved to be one of the best university in West Africa statistically in terms of equipped research work and modern education.
Similarly, University of Lagos was ranked 3rd in West Africa by The Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2019 due to its prestigious international outlook and classical education. It was also highly ranked by webometrics as one of the best universities in West Africa for it reign on the web.
University of Lagos is a learning institution to over 40,000 students and 3,300 staffs across various faculties namely; Arts, Basic Medical Sciences, Business Administration, Clinical Sciences, Dental Sciences, Education, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Law, Pharmacy, Science and Social Sciences. It also has various centers and institutes for learning and development.
Application Criteria;
Application Deadline;
The application deadline for various academic degree programs differs yearly.
#5. University of Ouagadougou (UO)
The University of Ouagadougou is located in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. It was established 1974 with the aim of providing five-star education and conducting research. UO is ranked number 1 in Burkina Faso and with a world rank of 6637 by UniRank in 2019. Also, well positioned by The Times Higher Education World University Rankings and Webometrics as one of the best university in Africa.
University of Ouagadougou runs 7 training and research units namely; Languages, Arts and Communication, Human Sciences, Legal and Political Sciences, Economic Sciences and Management, Applied Sciences, Health Sciences, Life and Hearth Sciences. While it also consists of an Institute; Institute of Arts and Crafts. It has a wide students enrolment intake with around 40,000 students admitted into different academic courses across various degree programs.
Application Criteria;
Application Deadline;
The application deadline for various academic degree programs differs yearly.
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#6. Universite Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD)
UCAD can also be alternatively called University of Dakar, located. It is located in Dakar, Senegal and was established in 1957 with the aim of imbibing quality education to French speaking students across the globe.
University of Dakar is the biggest and prestigious university in French West Africa with an enrolment number of around 60,000 students. It was ranked the 1st in Senegal by UniRank. Also, Center for World University Ranking (CWUR) positioned it 1766th in the world. It also well placed by webometrics for its prominence on the web as one of the best universities in west Africa.
Universite Cheikh Anta Diop offers most of its academic courses in French except for specific language learning academic courses across various academic schools namely; Finance, Medicine, Humanities, Sciences, Engineering, Accounting and Law.
Application Criteria;
Application Deadline;
The application deadline for various academic degree programs differs yearly.
#7. University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)
The University of Nigeria, is a federal university located in Nsukka, Enugu State. It is a multi-campus university with four campuses. It was the first indigenous and autonomous university in Nigeria and one of the best in west Africa.
University of Nigeria, Nsukka is well ranked among the best universities in West Africa, It was ranked 5th by The Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2019 for its vibrant international recognition and well rated education. It also has series on top National and continental ranking by various bodies a prestigious university in West Africa.
UNN has over 36,000 students across 15 academic faculties namely; Arts, Agriculture, Biological science, Business Administration, Education, Veterinary Medicines, Dentistry, Environmental Studies, Health Science and Technology, Law, Pharmaceutical sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, Medical Sciences and Engineering.
Application Criteria;
Application Deadline;
The application deadline for various academic degree programs differs yearly.
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#8. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST)
KNUST is a public university established in 1952. It is located in Kumasi, Ashanti, Ghana. It is university set to drive modernization in the Ashanti Kingdom and a revered university in West Africa
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology is well ranked among the best universities in West Africa with a country rank of number 2 by Center for World University Ranking (CWUR) in 2019. Also, UniRank levelled KNUST 2nd in Ghana and among the best Universities in West Africa for 2019. While, It has been recognized as a leading University of Science and Technology in Africa for it strides in research and education.
It runs academic programs across various faculties namely; Agriculture, Renewable Natural Resources, Forest Resources Technology, Allied Health Sciences, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical sciences, Law, Social Sciences, Engineering, Environmental and Development studies, Arts and Sciences.
Application Criteria;
Application Deadline;
The application deadline for various academic degree programs differs yearly.
#9. Ahmadu Bello University (ABU)
The Ahmadu Bello University is located in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. It is a globally recognized research learning institution and one of the best university in West Africa. It is a dual campus university with one in Samaru (main) and Kongo.
Ahmadu Bello University is a prestigious school in Northern Nigeria and West Africa as it has proven to be a top caliber in delivering quality education and updated research work. In 2019, it was ranked 2nd in Nigeria by Center for World University Ranking (CWUR). Similarly, it was well ranked by The Times Higher Education as one of the top university in West Africa. While, Webometrics also ranked it as one of the most searched and well dominated on the web among the best universities in West Africa.
ABU was established in 1962 and runs different academic courses disciplines across 12 faculties namely; Administration, Agriculture, Arts, Education, Engineering, Environmental Design, Law, Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sciences, Social Sciences, Veterinary Medicine.
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Application Criteria;
Application Deadline;
The application deadline for various academic degree programs differs yearly.
#10. University of Abomey Calavi (UAC)
The university of Abomey Calavi is a multi-campus public university in the country of Benin. It is a public educational and research university. UAC been a technical and traditional institution with administrative and financial free will.
University of Abomey Calavi is creating a dynamic leadership to provide abundance satisfaction to the pressing needs of the university community making it a top facilitated and one of the best university in West Africa. It has received various recognitions in the globe for it giant strides in education and research. Also, ranked number 1 in Benin by UniRank for 2019.
UAC offers various academic disciplines across different faculties and institutes namely; Agricultural Sciences, National Youth and Sports Education Institute, Science and Technology, Polytechnic School of Abomey Calavi, Health Sciences, Institute of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, Arts and Sciences.
Application Criteria;
Application Deadline;
The application deadline for various academic degree programs differs yearly.
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You can also Check Out these International Scholarships
Check out various scholarship opportunities available for you to apply to study in any country of your choice. Whether you seek a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or Ph.D., you will find a scholarship in any of the countries you choose. Learn more about available scholarships in each country by visiting the respective scholarship links below:
FAQs About the Best University in West Africa
Is West Africa a good place to live?
Yes, West Africa can be a good place to live, especially for those who appreciate cultural diversity, warm weather, and vibrant communities. However, quality of life varies by country, and factors like infrastructure, healthcare, and security should be considered.
Which country is best to study in West Africa?
Nigeria is often considered the best country to study in West Africa because it has the largest number of universities, including highly ranked ones like the University of Ibadan, Covenant University, and University of Lagos. Ghana also stands out with reputable institutions like the University of Ghana and Ashesi University.
What is the safest West African country to visit?
Cape Verde, Ghana and Senegal are widely regarded as the safest West African countries to visit, known for their political stability, low crime rate, hospitality and peaceful environment.
Which West African country student visa is easy to get?
Ghana generally offers one of the easiest student visa processes in West Africa, with straightforward requirements and less bureaucracy compared to some neighboring countries.
How do you process admission to University?
To process admission, you typically need to obtain the application form, meet the entry requirements, fill out and submit the application, which is often online. Following this, you’ll provide necessary documents, and wait for the university’s admission decision. Some schools also require entrance exams or interviews.
How much is the admission form for the University of Ghana?
The admission form for the University of Ghana usually costs around GHS 220-250 for Ghanaian applicants and about USD 110-120 for international applicants. Meanwhile, fees may vary by program and academic year.
What is the largest university in West Africa?
The largest university in West Africa is Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Nigeria, based on the number of students. The University of Lagos in Nigeria, University of Ilorin and Obafemi Awolowo University are also among the largest in terms of student population.