Nigeria’s 29 ranked universities urged to improve global standing

Twenty-nine Nigerian universities have been included in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, up from 24 in the previous edition and the highest number recorded by a country in sub-Saharan Africa. Prof Peter Okebukola, chairman of the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee, said the increase should be accompanied by stronger performance in the areas that determine global standing. He identified international academic reputation as the most significant opportunity for improvement, accounting for 33 per cent of the overall ranking score.

Okebukola recommended greater participation in international conferences, joint research projects, visiting-professor schemes and stronger connections with academics and alumni in the diaspora. He also called for better research funding and productivity, more reliable institutional data, increased doctoral output, deeper international collaboration and mobility, stronger industry links and more patenting. His assessment showed that Research Quality was Nigeria’s strongest ranking pillar, with a mean score of 43.3.

Research Environment recorded 13.9, while Teaching had a mean score of 20.6. Covenant University, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos jointly occupied Nigeria’s highest global band, ranked between 801 and 1,000. Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, Landmark University and the University of Ilorin were placed in the 1,001–1,200 band.

Seven Nigerian universities therefore appeared among the global top 1,200, five of them federal institutions. Overall, 19 federal, seven state and three private universities were ranked, while 32 others were listed as Reporters after submitting data without meeting the requirements for inclusion. Okebukola said the findings would guide the committee’s work on a national ranking covering universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

The exercise, directed by Education Minister Tunji Alausa, is expected to be completed by December 15, 2026, using 22 indicators to encourage competition and identify institutional weaknesses.