29 Nigerian Universities Ranked in 2027 Times Higher Education Rankings

Twenty-nine universities from Nigeria have made it into the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The top three universities in Nigeria are Covenant University, the University of Ibadan, and the University of Lagos, all of which are placed in the global ranking band of 801–1000.

This year, Nigeria has five more universities in the rankings compared to last year, which had 24 institutions listed. The new entrants are Osun State University, University of Maiduguri, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Kwara State University, and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.

Covenant University has regained its top position among Nigerian universities after dropping to third place last year. The University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos had shared the top spot in the previous ranking.

Following the top three, other universities in Nigeria include Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, Landmark University, and the University of Ilorin, which are ranked in the 1001–1200 band.

According to Times Higher Education, the rankings assess universities based on 17 performance indicators in five main areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry links. The University of Lagos achieved the highest score in research quality among Nigerian universities.

Globally, the University of Oxford continues to hold the number one position for the 11th year in a row. In sub-Saharan Africa, the University of Cape Town is the highest-ranked institution, improving its position from the previous year.

In total, 69 universities from sub-Saharan Africa are now ranked, with Nigeria having the largest number of institutions on the list.