Full List: UI Beats UNILAG, Covenant, UNN, OAU, Others to Emerge Best in Nigeria
- The University of Ibadan has reclaimed its position as Nigeria’s highest-ranked institution in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026
- Only two Nigerian universities, UI and the University of Lagos, featured in the global top 1000 of the latest rankings
- A total of 51 Nigerian universities appeared in the 2026 rankings, with many placed in lower global bands
The University of Ibadan has reclaimed its position as Nigeria’s highest-ranked university in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, overtaking several long-standing competitors across the country.
Results released on Thursday, January 22, on the Times Higher Education website placed UI in the 801 to 1000 global band, making it the top-ranked Nigerian institution in the latest edition.
Source: UGC
The outcome marked a return to the summit for the university, which last held the national lead in the 2023 rankings before slipping in subsequent years.
Global assessment and methodology that crowns UI
The 2026 rankings evaluated 2,191 universities from 115 countries using 18 performance indicators grouped under teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook.
The analysis drew from more than 174.9 million citations linked to 18.7 million research publications and survey feedback from over 108,000 academics worldwide.
UI’s resurgence followed a notable improvement from its fourth-place national position in the 2025 rankings. Its rise displaced Covenant University, which had led Nigerian institutions in both the 2024 and 2025 editions.
Nigerian universities in top 1000
The University of Lagos was the only other Nigerian institution to join UI in the global top 1000, also falling within the 801 to 1000 band. Their inclusion set them apart from other local universities, many of which were ranked in lower global categories.
Bayero University Kano, Covenant University, and Landmark University were grouped in the 1001 to 1200 global band, reflecting solid but less competitive international performance compared to UI and UNILAG.
Beyond overall placement, individual universities recorded strong showings in specific indicators. UNILAG posted the highest research quality score among Nigerian institutions at 66.7.
Source: Getty Images
Bayero University Kano led nationally in international outlook, while Covenant University topped the industry engagement category due to its ties with the private sector.
Several federal universities, including Ahmadu Bello University, the Federal University of Technology Minna, the University of Ilorin, the University of Jos, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, were ranked within the 1201 to 1500 global band.
Full list of Nigerians institutions that made global list
A larger number of Nigerian institutions appeared in the 1501 plus category, highlighting persistent challenges with funding, research output, and international visibility. In total, 51 Nigerian universities featured in the 2026 rankings.
Only two made the global top 1000, while 14 were placed in the 1501 plus band. Twenty-seven institutions that submitted data were not ranked.
Below is the full list of Nigerian universities ranked in the 2026 edition, starting with the highest placed.
- University of Ibadan
- University of Lagos
- Bayero University Kano
- Covenant University
- Landmark University
- Ahmadu Bello University
- Federal University of Technology, Minna
- University of Ilorin
- University of Jos
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka
- Babcock University
- Delta State University, Abraka
- Ekiti State University
- Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
- Federal University of Technology, Akure
- Federal University of Technology, Owerri
- Federal University Oye-Ekiti
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
- Lagos State University
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University
- Obafemi Awolowo University
- University of Benin
- University of Calabar
- University of Port Harcourt
Covenant emerges Nigeria's best university
Earlier in 2025, Legit.ng reported that Covenant University, a private institution in Nigeria, has emerged as the country's top university in the Times Higher Education (THE) 2025 Rankings. THE Rankings, a comprehensive global assessment, evaluated 2000 universities across 115 countries and regions.
The rankings were based on 18 indicators measuring performance in teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international outlook.
Source: Legit.ng
