10 Most Educated African Presidents – No.1 Tops The World List

Intelligence and education are indispensable components of good leadership. That is why according to Plato, one of the ancient philosophers, it is believed that a learned leader stands a better chance of doing well more than his uneducated counterpart. Although many African countries are still rated as underdeveloped with (sometimes) less than average general literacy level, we see a lot of world’s most highly educated leaders coming from Africa. The continent has seen a long list of educated African pressidents at various time, here are the current ones.

Here are the Most Educated African Presidents at the moment

10. Hage Geingob – Namibia

Hage Geingob is the president of Namibia. He took power in 2015 after serving in different leadership positions.

Academic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University, New York.
  • Master of Arts in International Relations from Graduate Faculty of The New School, New York.

African presidents academic qualifications-1

9. George Weah – Liberia

History was made in Liberia and in the whole of Africa in 2018 when George became the 25th president of Liberia. This is mostly because before venturing into politics, George Weah was a football player famously known as one of Africa’s best players of all time. He had played in the UEFA Champions League as well as the English Premier League. He also became the first and only African player to win FIFA world’s best player and other noteworthy awards.

Academic Qualifications:

  • Muslim Congress and High School at Wells Hairston High School.
  • BA in Sports Management from Parkwood University, London (note that this certificate is given without requiring study)
  • Degree in Business Administration from DeVry Univesity Maimi
  • Master’s Degree in Management from Keller’s Graduate School of Management.

Latest 10 Most Educated African Presidents - No.1 Tops The World List

8. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe – Togo

Faure Essozimma Gnassingbe became the president of Togo on 24 April 2005 and has remained so ever since then. He grabbed the power following his father Gnassigbe Eyadema’s death who had already ruled the country for about 38 years.

Academic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Financial Management from the Sorbonne, in Paris.
  • Master’s Degree in Business Administration from The George Washington University in the United States.

Faure

7. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita – Mali

Popularly known as IBK, Ibrahim Keita has been ruling Mali since 2013. His administration focuses on one key goal and that is to eliminate corruption entirely from the country. For this reason, he swears not to tolerate even the slightest dishonesty.

Academic Qualifications:

  • Ibrahim studied at the Lycée Janson-de-Sailly in Paris and Lycée Askia-Mohamed in Bamako.
  • He furthered at the University of Dakar, the University of Paris I and the Institut d’Histoire des Relations Internationales Contemporaines (IHRIC; Institute of the Modern History of International Relations).
  • Ibrahim Keita has three degrees in Political International Relations, History and Political Science including graduate degrees in Political Science and International Relations.
  • He also has a Master’s Degree in History

keita

6. Ameenah Gurib – Mauritius

Ameenah Gurib had a smooth path to her election and has been ruling Mauritius since 2015. The biodiversity scientist is the third woman to serve as the president of the country but the first woman to be elected as one.  She has been recognised internationally for the rapid progress her administration has seen so far.

Academic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) Degree from the University of Surrey.
  • PhD in Organic Chemistry from Exeter University, England.

Ameenah

5. Mulatu Teshome – Ethiopia

Mulatu Teshome has been in power since 2013. He served in different leadership positions before finally becoming the president of the country through a parliamentary vote.

Academic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy of Political Economy from Peking University, Beijing, China.
  • Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
  • Doctorate Degree in International Law from Peking University, Beijing, China.

mulatu

4. Alassane Ouattara – Ivory Coast

Alassane has been at Ivory Coasts’s helm of leadership since 2010. His academic qualifications and experiences in financial institutions seem to have given him the best chance to succeed in his presidential bid. Luckily, the Economist hasn’t disappointed in showing strength in reviving and sustaining Ivory Coast’s economic situation with its economic growth ranked as one of the biggest in Africa.

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.

Ivory Coast President

3. Peter Mutharika – Malawi

International Economic Law expert, Peter Mutharika has a good academic qualification that partly won him a seat at Malawi’s presidency in 2014. The lawyer had also played several leadership roles before his election including serving as an Adviser to his elder brother, ex-President Bingu Wa Mutharika who died in 2012.

Academic Qualifications:

  • Law Degree from the University of London.
  • Master of Laws Degree (LL.M) from Yale University.
  • Doctor of the Science of Law Degree (JSD) from Yale University.

peter-mutharika

2. King Mohammed VI – Morocco

King Mohammed VI has been on the throne of Morrocco since 1999 after the demise of his father, King Hassan. As the king of the country, he is the superpower of Morocco and the one in charge of appointing the Prime Minister of the country.

Academic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the Mohammed V University at Agdal.
  • PhD in Law from the French University of Nice Sophia Antipolis.

In 1987, Mohammed obtained his first Certificat d’Études Supérieures (CES) in political sciences, and in July 1988 he obtained a Diplôme d’Études Approfondies (DEA) in public law.

A handout picture shows Morocco's King Mohammed VI giving a speech to mark the 60th anniversary of the People and the King's Revolution in Rabat on August 20, 2013. AFP PHOTO / Azzouz BoukallouchAZZOUZ BOUKALLOUCH/AFP/Getty Images

Also See: Latest 12 Most Influential African Leaders That Cannot Be Ignored – No.12 Will Annoy You

1. John Magufuli – Tanzania

academic qualifications of African presidents

A former school teacher who is also known as the “Tanzanian bulldozer” Dr John Joseph Magufuli became the president of Tanzania in 2015. He is working to bring significant change in the power sector as well as other sectors of the country.

Academic Qualifications:

  • BSC in Chemistry from University of Dar es Salaam
  • Master’s degree in Chemistry from University of Dar es Salaam
  • Doctorate degree in Chemistry from the University of Dar es Salaam.
Peace Ezebuiro
Peace Ezebuiro
Whether it is creating vivid imagery through descriptive passages or simplifying complex advertising concepts into easy-to-digest language – you’ll find it all within every article produced by me

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