Federal Govt Hails Record 24 Nigerian Universities In Global Rankings

The Federal Ministry of Education has commended the strong performance of Nigerian universities in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings.

Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa,described the achievement as evidence of the positive impact of reforms being implemented under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).

The latest rankings place the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos among Nigeria’s highest-ranked universities, while Bayero University Kano emerged as one of the country’s top-performing institutions.

Nigeria also increased its representation in the global rankings from 21 universities in 2024 and 2025 to 24 universities in 2026, making it the most represented country in Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to a press statement released yesterday by Mrs Folasade Boriowo

Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, seventeen of the ranked institutions are federal universities, reflecting improvements in research, innovation, quality assurance, governance, digital transformation, infrastructure, and human capital development.

The rankings, the ministry said, mark a notable resurgence of public universities among the country’s leading institutions.

Reacting to the development,  Alausa, said; “These rankings are more than numbers; they show that our universities are strengthening their global standing and that investments in education are yielding measurable results. They reflect the dedication of our institutions and stakeholders to advancing teaching, research, and innovation.”

Alausa also noted that the rankings provide credible international validation of ongoing efforts to strengthen institutions, improve governance, and promote academic excellence across the sector.

He commended the University of Ibadan, the University of Lagos, Bayero University Kano, Covenant University, Landmark University, Ahmadu Bello University, and other ranked institutions for their contributions to teaching, research, innovation, and national development. He added that Bayero University Kano’s performance highlights the growing spread of academic excellence across the country.

The Minister emphasised that the progress recorded reflects the collective efforts of both public and private universities and underscores growing confidence in Nigeria’s higher education system.

He further disclosed that, beyond the 24 institutions officially ranked in 2026, an additional 27 Nigerian universities submitted data for assessment, demonstrating an increasing commitment to accountability, institutional benchmarking, and global standards.