University Of Ibadan Reclaims Top Spot As Best University In Nigeria
The University of Ibadan (UI) has reclaimed its position as the best university in Nigeria, according to the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings released on Thursday, October 9.
UI emerged top among 51 Nigerian universities assessed, climbing back to first place after falling to fourth in 2025. The institution, which last held the top spot in 2023, is now placed within the 801–1000 range globally — marking a major improvement in its international standing.
The 2026 rankings evaluated 2,191 universities from 115 countries, using 18 indicators across five key categories: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry connections, and international outlook.
UI’s resurgence ended Covenant University’s two-year reign as Nigeria’s number one university. Following UI are the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Bayero University, Kano (BUK), and Covenant University, ranked second, third, and fourth respectively.
According to THE’s data, UNILAG achieved the highest research quality score among Nigerian institutions with 66.7 points, BUK topped in international outlook, while Covenant University led in industry engagement, reflecting strong collaboration with the private sector.
Out of the 51 Nigerian universities ranked, only UI and UNILAG made the 801–1000 global category. BUK, Covenant University, and Landmark University fell within 1001–1200, while Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMinna), University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), University of Jos (UNIJOS), and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) ranked between 1201–1500.
Fourteen others, including Obafemi Awolowo University, Lagos State University, University of Benin, and University of Port Harcourt, were placed above 1501, while 27 universities were listed but not ranked.
The report also noted that to qualify for inclusion, universities must teach undergraduates, conduct multidisciplinary research, and publish at least 1,000 scholarly papers between 2020 and 2024 — an average of 100 publications per year.
The 2026 rankings drew data from 174.9 million citations across 18.7 million research papers, as well as survey responses from over 108,000 academics worldwide, highlighting global shifts in higher education performance.
