The University of Ghana (UG) has been named the highest-ranked university in Ghana and West Africa and placed 8th in Sub-Saharan Africa in the inaugural QS World University Rankings: Sub-Saharan Africa 2026.
With an overall score of 74.8, UG excelled across several key indicators. The University achieved 90.6 in Academic Reputation, reflecting its recognition among scholars, 88.3 in International Research Network, highlighting its growing global collaborations, and 86.6 in Sustainability, showcasing its commitment to sustainable development. Other notable scores include 79.2 in Web Impact, 65.6 in Employer Reputation, 52.1 in Citations per Paper, 50.3 in Staff with PhD, 48.1 in Papers per Faculty, and 10 in Faculty–Student Ratio.
The ranking was unveiled at the launch event held by the Association of African Universities (AAU) in Accra, which featured 69 institutions from 21 African countries. The assessment focused on regional performance, taking into account research output, employability, reputation, sustainability, and global engagement.
Reacting to the ranking, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo congratulated the entire UG community, describing the achievement as a collective success. She noted that being ranked 8th in Sub-Saharan Africa marks a significant milestone and reflects the University’s growing regional and global presence.
Prof. Amfo also highlighted areas for improvement, particularly the student–faculty ratio, and called on the Government to invest in recruiting additional faculty. “Increasing staffing levels will ease workloads and allow our faculty more time for research, enhancing UG’s research output,” she explained.
She further encouraged the University community to remain committed to excellence, stressing that with unity of purpose and the right resources, UG can aspire to the top spot in future rankings.
The QS rankings are a globally recognized benchmark for higher education, assessing universities based on factors that matter most to students, including research quality, reputation, student experience, and employability.
