University of Ibadan Named Nigeria’s Best University in 2026 Times Higher Education Rankings
University of Ibadan Tops Nigeria’s 2026 Global University Rankings
The University of Ibadan (UI) has reclaimed its position as Nigeria’s top-ranked university in the newly released Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026.
The ranking, published Thursday on THE’s official website, places UI in the 801–1,000 global band—a position it last achieved in 2023. The premier university climbed from fourth place in the 2025 edition to overtake Covenant University, which had held the national lead for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025).
How the 2026 THE Ranking Works
This year, Times Higher Education evaluated 2,191 universities from 115 countries, assessing them across 18 performance indicators grouped into five main categories:
- Teaching (Learning environment)
- Research environment
- Research quality
- Industry engagement
- International outlook
Globally, the ranking was built on 174.9 million citations drawn from 18.7 million research papers, alongside survey feedback from over 108,000 scholars.
Nigeria’s Top Performers in the 2026 Ranking
UI leads the national table, with the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Bayero University Kano (BUK), and Covenant University closely behind. Landmark University rounds out the top five.
- UNILAG stood out for its research quality, earning a score of 66.7, the highest among Nigerian universities.
- BUK topped in international outlook, reflecting its growing global academic collaborations.
- Covenant University led in industry engagement, showcasing strong partnerships between academia and the private sector.
Global Placement of Nigerian Universities
Out of 51 Nigerian universities listed in the 2026 THE ranking, only UI and UNILAG made it into the 801–1,000 global category. BUK, Covenant, and Landmark Universities followed in the 1001–1200 band.
Other notable Nigerian universities, including Ahmadu Bello University, Federal University of Technology, Minna, University of Ilorin, University of Jos, and University of Nigeria, Nsukka, appeared in the 1201–1500 band.
A further 14 universities ranked above 1501, while 27 universities were listed as unranked.
Full Nigerian List by Global Band (2026)
801–1000:
- University of Ibadan (UI)
- University of Lagos (UNILAG)
1001–1200:
- Bayero University, Kano (BUK)
- Covenant University
- Landmark University
1201–1500:
- Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
- Federal University of Technology, Minna
- University of Ilorin
- University of Jos
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka
1501+:
- 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
Unranked:
Admiralty University of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State University, Al-Hikmah University, Augustine University, Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (Ikere-Ekiti), Bauchi State University, Bayelsa Medical University, Baze University, Bells University of Technology, Bowen University, Evangel University (Akaeze), Federal University of Lafia, Federal University of Petroleum Resources (Effurun), Fountain University, Godfrey Okoye University, Igbinedion University (Okada), Kaduna State University, Lagos State University of Education, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Lead City University, Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Nasarawa State University (Keffi), Redeemer’s University, Rivers State University, Thomas Adewumi University, University of Cross River State, University of Delta.
About Times Higher Education (THE)
Times Higher Education is one of the world’s most respected independent organizations for higher education analysis. To qualify for inclusion in the 2026 World University Rankings, institutions must:
- Offer undergraduate programs
- Publish research across multiple academic disciplines
- Produce at least 1,000 research papers between 2020 and 2024 (no fewer than 100 per year)
The 2026 rankings reaffirm UI’s strong research culture, academic reputation, and institutional resilience—cementing its status as Nigeria’s flagship university on the global stage.
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