The University of Ibadan (UI) has reclaimed its crown as Nigeria’s highest-ranked university in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, rising to the 801–1,000 global band. This marks a major comeback for the premier institution, which last held the top national position in 2023.
UI’s leap dethroned Covenant University (CU), which led in 2024 and 2025. The University of Lagos (UNILAG), Bayero University Kano (BUK), and Covenant University followed in second, third, and fourth place nationally, respectively.
The 2026 ranking evaluated 2,191 universities across 115 countries, using 18 performance indicators covering teaching, research quality, research environment, industry engagement, and international outlook. The analysis drew on 174.9 million citations from 18.7 million research publications, along with survey responses from over 108,000 scholars worldwide.
Among Nigerian universities, only UI and UNILAG placed within the 801–1,000 band globally. BUK, CU, and Landmark University ranked between 1001–1200, while Ahmadu Bello University, University of Ilorin, and University of Nigeria, Nsukka, were placed in the 1201–1500 range.
In specific performance areas, UNILAG recorded the highest research quality score (66.7), BUK led in international outlook, and Covenant University topped industry engagement.
A total of 51 Nigerian universities made the global list—14 ranked above 1501, while 27 were listed as unranked.
According to THE, inclusion in the rankings requires institutions to teach undergraduates, conduct research across multiple disciplines, and publish at least 1,000 research papers between 2020 and 2024.
Top 10 Nigerian Universities in THE 2026 Rankings
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University of Ibadan (UI) – 801–1000
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University of Lagos (UNILAG) – 801–1000
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Bayero University Kano (BUK) – 1001–1200
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Covenant University (CU) – 1001–1200
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Landmark University – 1001–1200
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Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) – 1201–1500
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Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT Minna) – 1201–1500
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University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) – 1201–1500
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University of Jos (UNIJOS) – 1201–1500
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University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) – 1201–1500