Covenant University, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos have jointly emerged as Nigeria’s highest ranked universities in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
The three universities were placed in the 801 to 1000 band globally in the rankings released on Wednesday. Nigeria recorded 29 ranked universities in the 2027 edition, up from 24 in the 2026 rankings.
Ahmadu Bello University and Bayero University followed in fourth and fifth positions among Nigerian universities, while five institutions, including Osun State University, the University of Maiduguri, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Kwara State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, were newly ranked.
The rankings assess research intensive universities across five areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry. Globally, the University of Oxford retained the top position, while the University of Cape Town was the highest ranked university in sub Saharan Africa at joint 147th.
Full list of ranked Nigerian universities
- Covenant University — 801–1000
- University of Ibadan — 801–1000
- University of Lagos — 801–1000
- Ahmadu Bello University — 1001–1200
- Bayero University — 1001–1200
- Landmark University — 1001–1200
- University of Ilorin — 1001–1200
- Babcock University — 1201–1400
- Osun State University — 1201–1400
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka — 1201–1400
- Federal University of Technology, Minna — 1401–1600
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University — 1401–1600
- Obafemi Awolowo University — 1401–1600
- University of Benin — 1401–1600
- University of Jos — 1401–1600
- University of Maiduguri — 1401–1600
- Federal University of Technology, Akure — 1601–1800
- Federal University of Technology, Owerri — 1801–2000
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology — 1801–2000
- Lagos State University — 1801–2000
- Olabisi Onabanjo University — 1801–2000
- University of Calabar — 1801–2000
- Delta State University, Abraka — 2001+
- Ekiti State University — 2001+
- Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta — 2001+
- Federal University Oye-Ekiti — 2001+
- Kwara State University — 2001+
- Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike — 2001+
- University of Port Harcourt — 2001+
The 2027 Times Higher Education, THE, rankings cover 2,297 institutions across 118 countries and territories and use 17 performance indicators across the five broad areas.
The University of Lagos recorded the highest Nigerian score for research quality at 67.8, while Bayero University was ranked highest among Nigerian institutions for international outlook. Covenant University recorded the highest industry score among the Nigerian universities.
THE also listed 33 Nigerian institutions as reporter institutions. These universities submitted data but did not meet the eligibility requirements to receive a ranking in the 2027 edition.
