The University of Ibadan (UI) has reclaimed its position as Nigeria’s top university in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2026. The ranking, published on THE’s website on Thursday, placed the premier Ibadan-based federal university in the global 801-1000 bracket, surpassing other Nigerian institutions and returning to the top spot it last held in 2023.
This year’s global ranking assessed 2,191 institutions from 115 countries, measuring them across 18 performance indicators grouped under five key categories: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry income, and international outlook.
UI made a significant leap from fourth place in 2025 to become Nigeria’s best university in 2026, dethroning Covenant University (CU), which had held the leading position in 2024 and 2025.
Following UI in Nigeria’s top ranks are the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in second place, Bayero University in third, and Covenant University in fourth.
The rankings reflect a shifting landscape in global higher education, analysing over 174.9 million citations from 18.7 million research publications, and incorporating survey responses from more than 108,000 academics worldwide.
While UI earned top marks nationally, UNILAG was distinguished for its excellence in quality research, scoring 66.7 on the index. Bayero University leads in international outlook, highlighting its global engagement, whereas Covenant University boasts the highest score for industry income, demonstrating strong links with industry partners.
Out of 51 Nigerian universities featured in THE’s 2026 rankings, only UI and UNILAG fell within the 801–1000 global band. Bayero University, Covenant University, and Landmark University ranked between 1001 and 1200. Ahmadu Bello University, Federal University of Technology Minna, University of Ilorin, University of Jos, and University of Nigeria, Nsukka, were placed within the 1201–1500 range.
The remaining Nigerian universities either ranked above 1501 or were unranked, reflecting ongoing challenges in research output and international visibility.
THE is a globally recognised independent organisation known for providing data-driven analysis of universities worldwide. To be included in the World University Rankings, institutions must meet criteria such as offering undergraduate education, producing research across multiple disciplines, and publishing at least 1,000 research papers between 2020 and 2024.
ASUU is worried about number of first-class graduates produced by private universities
Meanwhile, TheRadar previously reported that the president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, expressed concern over what he described as the growing trend of first-class degrees being awarded by private universities across Nigeria.
Osodeke voiced these concerns during a ceremony held in honour of Professor Andy Egwunyenga, marking the conclusion of his tenure as Vice-Chancellor of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka.
