The Federal Government has made participation in Nigeria’s national tertiary education ranking exercise compulsory for all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education as part of efforts to strengthen quality, accountability and global competitiveness in the sector.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, CON, announced this on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, in Abuja during a meeting with the Nigerian Universities Ranking Advisory Committee, NURAC, which has now been expanded and renamed the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee.
According to Dr. Alausa, the unified ranking framework will provide institutions with clear benchmarks for assessing performance, identifying areas for improvement and measuring progress.
He disclosed that the 2026/2027 ranking exercise for universities will commence in September, while the committee will determine the timeline for extending the exercise to polytechnics and colleges of education.
“The ranking framework would provide institutions with clear benchmarks for assessing performance, identifying areas for improvement and measuring progress,” the Minister said.
He added that the government would develop guidelines to institutionalise the exercise and formally communicate the compulsory participation policy to Vice-Chancellors and heads of other tertiary institutions. Funding support for the exercise is expected through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the initiative as a significant step towards strengthening accountability and quality across Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
She emphasised that the ranking should cover both public and private institutions, noting that healthy competition would encourage institutions to assess their strengths and weaknesses, address identified gaps and consistently improve the quality of education they provide.
Chairman of the advisory committee, Emeritus Prof. Peter Okebukola, said the committee’s engagement with the Minister followed its call for greater investment in university education to sustain the growing global recognition of Nigerian institutions.
He welcomed the expansion of the committee’s mandate, expressing optimism that sustained investment, stronger institutional capacity and a unified national ranking framework would enable more Nigerian tertiary institutions to compete confidently with leading institutions globally.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the move aligns with ongoing reforms aimed at improving standards and ensuring transparency in the tertiary education sector.