Covenant University, a private academic institution located in Ota, Nigeria, has garnered recognition by securing a spot among the top 10 universities in Africa.
The esteemed Times Higher Education (THE) recently unveiled its inaugural Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings for 2023, positioning Covenant University at an impressive seventh place.
While the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, claimed the coveted title of the continent's best university, Covenant University stands as the sole Nigerian representative within the top 10.
Securing the second-highest position on the list is the University of Johannesburg, also situated in South Africa. Furthermore, the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania captured the third spot, further demonstrating the diverse array of institutions highlighted in the rankings.
The THE Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings for 2023 evaluates universities across the region using a comprehensive set of indicators to determine their strength and performance. These indicators encompass five crucial pillars: "access and fairness," "Africa impact," "teaching skills," "student engagement," and "resources and finance."
From a national standpoint, Nigeria proudly boasts the highest number of ranked universities, with 37 entries. South Africa closely follows with nine universities, while Ghana and Kenya each have seven institutions represented. Additionally, Somalia and Uganda have five universities featured in the rankings.
The ranking data also sheds light on the distinguishing features between public and private universities. Out of the 88 ranked institutions, a significant majority of 59 (67%) receive public funding, while 21 (24%) operate as private, not-for-profit establishments. Additionally, eight institutions (9%) fall under the category of private for-profit universities. It is worth noting that seven out of the top 10 universities are publicly funded.