Nigeria has recorded its strongest-ever outing in global university rankings, with 24 institutions earning places in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings.
However, only four universities from the South-South geopolitical zone made the prestigious list.
The South-South institutions that secured places in the rankings are Delta State University, Abraka (12th), University of Benin (22nd), University of Calabar (23rd), and University of Port Harcourt (24th).
The rankings, which represent Nigeria’s highest-ever participation, reinforce the country’s growing influence in higher education across Sub-Saharan Africa, with 24 universities listed, up from 21 in both the 2024 and 2025 editions.
The University of Ibadan retained its position as Nigeria’s highest-ranked institution, followed by the University of Lagos, while Bayero University Kano emerged as the third-best performing university in the country.
Of the 24 institutions, 17 are federal universities, four are state-owned, and three are private universities, reflecting broad improvements in teaching, research, and institutional performance across the country’s tertiary education sector.
The rankings also underscore the growing global recognition of Nigeria’s specialised universities of technology and agriculture, while state-owned institutions continue to improve their academic profiles through enhanced research output and governance reforms.
The full list of Nigeria’s universities in the 2026 THE rankings is as follows:
University of Ibadan
University of Lagos
Bayero University Kano
Covenant University
Landmark University
Ahmadu Bello University
Federal University of Technology, Minna
University of Ilorin
University of Jos
University of Nigeria
Babcock University
Delta State University, Abraka
Ekiti State University
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
Federal University of Technology, Akure
Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Federal University Oye-Ekiti
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
Lagos State University
Nnamdi Azikiwe University
Obafemi Awolowo University
University of Benin
University of Calabar
University of Port Harcourt.
The rankings highlight both Nigeria’s expanding presence on the global academic stage and the need for greater investment in higher education across regions, particularly in the South-South, where only four universities made the country’s top 24 list.
