- Nigeria Shines as UI, UNILAG Break Into Global Top 1,000 Universities
- The Times Higher Education ranking system relies on 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators
- UNILORIN, UNIJOS, and UNN fell within the 1,201–1,500 band
The Chairman of the Nigerian Universities Ranking Advisory Committee and former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Emeritus Peter Okebukola, has commended the ranking of two Nigerian universities among the top 1,000 in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, released on Thursday.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a statement issued in Abuja, Okebukola disclosed that the University of Ibadan (UI) and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) both ranked within the 801–1,000 band, each attaining an overall score range of 35.5–38.9.
EDITOR’S PICK
- APC Disqualifies Kayode Ojo From Ekiti Governorship Primary
- Tinubu Grants Mercy To 175 Inmates, Council Ratifies INEC, NPC Chiefs
- Lagos Judiciary Sets Up Appeal Tribunal for Local Government Election Disputes
He described the development as a remarkable improvement from the 2025 rankings, where only Covenant University made the top 1,000 and was rated the best in Nigeria.
According to Okebukola, the Times Higher Education ranking system relies on 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators that provide a balanced comparison across five key metrics teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook.
The professor noted that other categories under THE include the Impact Rankings, where Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti has maintained a consistent lead, the Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings, and subject-specific rankings.
Giving further insight, Okebukola said:
“Oxford University led the pack, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Princeton, University of Cambridge, Harvard University, and Stanford University.
Interestingly, Harvard, which had consistently topped earlier rankings, slipped to fifth place, while Oxford retained the number one spot for the tenth consecutive year due to its strong research environment score.”
Okebukola added that three Nigerian universities, Bayero University Kano, Covenant University, and Landmark University were ranked in the top 1,200 category, scoring between 32.1 and 35.4, while Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMinna), University of Ilorin, University of Jos, and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) fell within the 1,201–1,500 band. Fourteen others were placed in the 1,500+ category.
In the new list, University of Ibadan emerged as Nigeria’s best university, reclaiming the position it last held in 2023, having risen from fourth in 2025 to first in 2026, ahead of University of Lagos, Bayero University, and Covenant University.
The 2026 rankings featured 2,191 institutions from 115 countries, assessed using data from 18.7 million research publications, 174.9 million citations, and survey responses from over 108,000 scholars worldwide.
According to THE’s global analysis, UNILAG scored the highest among Nigerian universities in research quality, achieving a score of 66.7.
FURTHER READING
- Ibeju-Lekki LG Expands Welfare Support with Conditional Cash Transfer in Ward C1
- FG Presents Dr. Taoheed Elias as ICJ Candidate, Seeks Global Support
- Tinubu Chairs Council of State Meeting, Presents Nominees for INEC Chairmanship
Click here to watch video of the week
