University Of Ibadan, UNILAG Shine In Global Top Chart

Ebenezer Adurokiya, Reporting 

NIGERIA’S higher education sector is making significant strides on the global stage, with the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos leading the country’s contingent in the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, while Bayero University Kano has broken into the elite group for the first time.

The 2026 rankings, which also include a Sub-Saharan Africa table, show Nigeria expanding its presence from 21 institutions in both 2024 and 2025 to 24 this year — making the country the most widely represented nation across the region.

The Federal Ministry of Education hailed the outcome as evidence that policy reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, alongside the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), are already yielding dividends.

Seventeen of the 24 ranked institutions are federal universities. According to the Ministry, the surge reflects improvements in research output, innovation, quality control, governance reforms, digital upgrades, infrastructure renewal, and staff capacity building.

Public universities, in particular, are staging a strong comeback among the country’s top performers.

Education Minister, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, said the figures confirm that higher education is being repositioned as a driver of national growth.

“These rankings are more than statistics,” Dr Alausa stated. “They signal that our universities are elevating their international profile and that targeted funding in education is producing tangible outcomes.

“It is a testament to the commitment of our schools and partners to push teaching, research, and innovation forward.”

He added that the results offer independent, global endorsement of efforts to strengthen institutions, tighten governance, and raise academic standards across the country.

The Minister singled out the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Bayero University Kano, Covenant University, Landmark University, Ahmadu Bello University, and other ranked campuses for their contributions to teaching, research, innovation, and nation-building.

He noted that BUK’s emergence shows that academic excellence is no longer confined to a few regions.

Dr Alausa stressed that the momentum stems from both public and private institutions working in tandem, and points to growing confidence in Nigeria’s tertiary system.

Beyond the 24 universities that made the 2026 list, the Ministry revealed that 27 additional Nigerian institutions submitted data for review.

That, the Minister said, reflects a growing culture of accountability, self-assessment against global benchmarks, and readiness to meet international standards.

Linking education to economic prospects, Dr Alausa pointed out that Nigeria hosts approximately 28 per cent of Africa’s fintech firms — a trend he attributed to universities supplying skilled graduates, research, and innovative ideas essential for competitiveness and growth.

The Ministry thanked President Tinubu for his consistent support of education reform, and acknowledged governing councils, management teams, faculty, students, and other stakeholders for their contributions to strengthening the sector.

Looking ahead, the Ministry said it would continue to drive NESRI and related strategies to boost quality, widen access, scale research and innovation, and position Nigeria’s education system among the most competitive in Africa and the world.