Full List: UI edges Covenant, Unilag to emerge best university in 2026 rankings

The University of Ibadan (UI) has reclaimed its presumption arsenic Nigeria’s apical assemblage successful the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026.

The Ibadan-based national instauration is ranked successful the 801–1,000 set globally, moving up from 4th spot successful 2025, and surpassing different starring Nigerian universities—a feat it past achieved successful 2023.

THE surveyed 2,191 institutions crossed 115 countries, evaluating universities connected 18 show indicators covering teaching, research, probe environment, manufacture engagement, and planetary outlook.

UI dethroned Covenant University (CU), which had been Nigeria’s champion successful 2024 and 2025. Following UI, the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Bayero University, and Covenant University fertile second, third, and 4th nationally, respectively.

The 2026 ranking reflects shifts successful planetary higher education, analyzing 174.9 cardinal citations from 18.7 cardinal probe publications alongside survey responses from implicit 108,000 scholars worldwide. Notably, UNILAG scored highest successful prime probe with a people of 66.7, portion Bayero University (BUK) leads successful planetary outlook and CU tops manufacture engagement.

Among Nigerian institutions, 51 universities made the ranking: lone UI and UNILAG autumn wrong the 801–1,000 planetary band; BUK, CU, and Landmark University are betwixt 1001–1200; portion 5 others—including Ahmadu Bello University, University of Ilorin, and University of Nigeria—fall betwixt 1201–1500. Fourteen universities are ranked supra 1501, and 27 institutions were unranked.

THE is simply a globally recognized autarkic enactment providing information and investigation for higher education, including the wide cited World University Rankings. To beryllium ranked, universities indispensable thatch undergraduates, behaviour probe crossed aggregate subjects, and person published astatine slightest 1,000 probe publications from 2020 to 2024.

Top 30 Nigerian Universities successful THE World University Rankings 2026

1. University of Ibadan (UI) – 801–1000
2. University of Lagos (UNILAG) – 801–1000
3. Bayero University Kano (BUK) – 1001–1200
4. Covenant University (CU) – 1001–1200
5. Landmark University – 1001–1200
6. Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) – 1201–1500
7. Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT Minna) – 1201–1500
8. University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) – 1201–1500
9. University of Jos (UNIJOS) – 1201–1500
10. University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) – 1201–1500
11. Babcock University – 1501+
12. Delta State University, Abraka – 1501+
13. Ekiti State University – 1501+
14. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) – 1501+
15. Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) – 1501+
16. Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) – 1501+
17. Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) – 1501+
18. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) – 1501+
19. Lagos State University (LASU) – 1501+
20. Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) – 1501+
21. Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) – 1501+
22. University of Benin (UNIBEN) – 1501+
23. University of Calabar (UNICAL) – 1501+
24. University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) – 1501+
25. Admiralty University of Nigeria – 1501+
26. Akwa Ibom State University – 1501+
27. Al-Hikmah Universit...