Africa’s Most Educated Presidents

Former Zimbabwe President, Robert Mugabe

Robert Mugabe is a qualified teacher. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Fort Hare. He then studied at the University of Oxford in 1952, Salisbury (1953), Gwelo (1954), and Tanzania (1955–1957).

Mugabe subsequently earned six further degrees through distance learning.

These include a Bachelor of Administration and Bachelor of Education from the University of South Africa and a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Laws, Master of Science, and Master of Laws, all from the University of London External Programme.

The two Law degrees were taken whilst he was in prison, whilst the Master of Science degree was taken during his premiership of Zimbabwe.

Education Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts (History and English) (BA) degree from the University of Fort Hare (1951)

Bachelor of Administration (B.Admin) from University of South Africa (Unisa)

Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) from University of South Africa (Unisa)

Bachelor of Science (Bsc.) in Economics from University of London

Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from University of London

Master of Laws (LL.M) from University of London

Master of Science (Msc.) in Economics from University of London

In addition, Robert Gabriel Mugagbe has other 14 Honorary degrees from both local and internatonal Universities out of which 3 (all from international Universities),have been revoked

King Mohammed VI of Moroccoof Morocco

King Mohammed began his education at the age of four when he was enrolled in the Koranic School at the Dâr-al-Makhzen or Royal Palace in Rabat.

He then attended the Collège Royal, a school located inside the Royal Palace in Rabat founded in 1942 that specializes in the education of princes and princesses of the Alaouite dynasty. The King completed his primary and secondary education at the Collège Royal in 1981.

He then attended the Mohammed V University at Agdal and received a Bachelor’s Degree in law at the in 1985. In 1987, King Mohammed received a Certificate of Higher Specialized Studies in political sciences and a received an additional Certificate of Higher Specialized Studies in public law in 1988.

The King received a Ph.D (Doctor of Philosphy) in law with distinction in 1993 from the Nice Sophia Antipolis University in Nice, France. The topic of his thesis was “Cooperation between the European Economic Community and the Arab Maghreb Union”. King Mohammed is fluent in Arabic, French, Spanish, and English.

Ex-president of Benin, Thomas Boni Yayi

Thomas Boni Yayi is a Beninese banker and politician who was President of Benin from 2006 to 2016. He took office after winning the March 2006 presidential election and was re-elected to a second term in March 2011.

He also served as the Chairperson of the African Union from 29 January 2012 to 27 January 2013.

Boni received his education first in the regional capital of Parakou before moving on to earn a master’s degree in economics at the National University of Benin.

He then pursued an additional master’s degree in economics at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, and then earned a doctorate in economics and politics at the University of Orléans in France and at Paris Dauphine University, where he completed a doctorate in economics in 1976.

Tanzanian President, John Magufuli

John Joseph Magufuli John Joseph Magufuli (born 29 October 1959) is a Tanzanian politician and the President of Tanzania, in office since 2015.

He started his education at The Chato Primary School from 1967 to 1974 and went on to The Katoke Seminary in Biharamulo for his secondary education from 1975 to 1977 before relocating to Lake Secondary School in 1977 and completing in 1978. He joined Mkwawa High School for his A levels in 1979 and completed 1981. That same year he joined Mkwawa College of Education for a Diploma in Education Science, majoring in Chemistry, Mathematics and Education.

Magufuli earned his bachelor of science in education degree majoring in chemistry and mathematics as teaching subjects from The University of Dar es Salaam in 1988. He also earned his Masters and Doctorate degrees in chemistry from The University of Dar es Salaam, in 1994 and 2009, respectively.

Ivorian President, Alassane Uoattara

Ouattara was born on 1 January 1942 in Dimbokro in French West Africa. He is a descendant on his father’s side of the Muslim rulers of Burkina Faso, then part of the Kong Empire, also known as the Wattara (Ouattarra) Empire.

Ouattara himself is of Muslim background. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1965 from the Drexel Institute of Technology, which is now called Drexel University, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Ouattara then obtained both his master’s degree in economics in 1967 and a PhD in economics in 1972 from the University of Pennsylvania.

In 1991, Ouattara was married to Dominique Nouvian, a French businesswoman, who was born Jewish but later became Catholic.[7] Their wedding ceremony was held in the town hall of the prestigious 16th arrondissement of Paris.

Academic Qualifications:

Bachelor of Science Degree from the Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

PhD in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.