Ranking of Africa's Largest Libraries in 2025
African Libraries: Preserving History and Fostering Knowledge
Africa's libraries are not just repositories of books; they are treasure troves of history, culture, and knowledge. Here's a look at some of the most significant libraries across the continent, each with its unique story and importance.
1. National Library of South Africa (NLSA)
The NLSA, established in 1924, plays a pivotal role in preserving South Africa's documentary heritage. With branches in Cape Town and Pretoria, it houses millions of items, including books, periodicals, archival materials, maps, photographs, and manuscripts. The library provides extensive collections of South African published works and historical documents.
2. Alexandria Library (Bibliotheca Alexandrina), Egypt
This modern revival of the ancient Library of Alexandria symbolizes the continuity of global knowledge and cultural exchange. Opened in 2002, the library boasts over 8 million books, rare manuscripts, maps, multimedia, and digital archives. Its collections focus on Mediterranean and African history, science, and literature. Architecturally iconic, the library incorporates a planetarium, specialized research centers, and an emphasis on digitization and open access to knowledge.
3. University of Ibadan Library, Nigeria
As one of Nigeria's largest academic libraries, the University of Ibadan Library supports the oldest university in the country. Its collections include over 750,000 volumes, with extensive resources on African studies, colonial history, and contemporary African development issues. The library houses special collections on Nigerian and African history, colonial records, and multilingual resources.
4. Abdelkader Benali Library, Morocco
Part of Morocco’s national library system, the Abdelkader Benali Library safeguards a wealth of Arabic and Berber manuscripts significant to North African heritage and Islamic scholarship. Its collections consist of rare manuscripts, historical documents, and modern publications reflecting Morocco’s literary and cultural diversity.
5. Makerere University Library, Uganda
Makerere University Library supports one of East Africa’s leading universities. Its collections include large holdings of East African literature, historical documents, government publications, and academic research materials. The library is integral to regional collaboration to enhance access to African scholarly resources.
6. Cairo University Library, Egypt
One of the oldest modern university libraries in Africa, Cairo University Library serves a diverse student body and supports a broad spectrum of academic disciplines. Its collections mainly consist of manuscripts, books, periodicals mainly in Arabic, English, and French, with strong holdings in Islamic studies, history, and science.
7. The Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies, Northwestern University
Though outside Africa, the Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies at Northwestern University holds one of the largest collections on Africa outside the continent. Its collections include over 5,000 Arabic script manuscripts from West Africa, including hand-written originals and market editions, many in ajami scripts (African languages in Arabic script).
8. University of Cape Town Libraries, South Africa
Among the largest academic libraries in Africa, the University of Cape Town Libraries supports one of the continent’s leading universities. Known for strong digital infrastructure and partnerships promoting African scholarship, the libraries offer a wide range of academic and research collections.
9. National Library of Kenya
Kenya’s principal legal deposit and archival library, the National Library of Kenya preserves the nation's intellectual heritage. Its collections focus on Kenya and the East African region, including books, newspapers, government documents, and manuscripts.
10. University of Lagos Library, Nigeria
The University of Lagos Library supports one of Nigeria’s premier research institutions. Its collections include academic materials supporting sciences, humanities, and social sciences with growing digital and multimedia holdings. The library is integral to Nigeria’s national academic and research infrastructure, often collaborating regionally.
Across these libraries, historical significance derives from safeguarding colonial, pre-colonial, and indigenous African manuscripts and printed works critical to understanding African history and culture. Contemporary significance includes digital access initiatives, partnerships for open access African scholarship, and legal deposit roles preserving national literary output. Collections often feature rare manuscripts, particularly Islamic Arabic and ajami texts relevant to African Muslim heritage, as well as large modern academic and research collections. Notable features include architectural landmarks, specialized manuscript collections, multilingual holdings, and increasing digitization and access initiatives to broaden global visibility of African scholarship.
